Endocarditis Prevention

Prevention

If you have a high risk of infection:

• You may need to take antibiotics before certain dental or medical procedures.
• Talk to your dentist or doctor before the procedure.

The American Heart Association guidelines recommend that preventive antibiotic therapy should be considered for individuals with the following cardiac conditions: *

• Various forms of congenital heart disease (heart defects)
• Artificial heart valves
• History of endocarditis
• Heart transplant recipients who have developed valve disease

Never use illegal IV drugs will also decrease your risk of infection.