Heart & Blood

Get Email Updates

Related Topics

More

Heart & Blood Guide

Christine Jeffries

Have a question? We're here to help. Ask the Community.

ASK

Free Newsletter

Receive the latest and greatest in women's health and wellness from EmpowHER!

Heart Valve Infections, How Are They Prevented? - Dr. Aklog (VIDEO)

By Dr. Lishan Aklog Expert February 11, 2009 - 10:25am
 
Rate This

Listen as Dr. Aklog shares how women can prevent heart valve infections.

More Videos from Dr. Lishan Aklog 33 videos in this series

Dr. Aklog:

So that’s a good question. Abnormal heart valves can actually be prone to developing infections, and so it’s important in patients who have abnormal heart valves to be very conscientious about the types of ways that bacteria can get in the bloodstream to cause an infection, and a very common method for that to happen are procedures such as dental work where the actual manipulation of the teeth can cause small amounts of bacteria to enter the bloodstream and stick to abnormal heart valves.

So patients who have the most severe types of abnormal heart valves or those who have had heart valve surgery should really talk to their doctors to determine whether they should be given antibiotics prior to either dental work or other invasive procedures that might potentially lead to a heart valve infection.

About Dr. Aklog, M.D.:
Dr. Lishan Aklog is the current Director and Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery at The Heart and Lung Institute of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona and Director of EmpowHer's Medical Advisory Board. Specializing in adult cardiac care, he graduated from Harvard College followed by Harvard Medical School. Dr. Aklog was a cardiothoracic resident at Brigham and Women’s/Boston Children’s Hospital, an Associate Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, and completed international fellowships in London, England and Paris, France.

View Dr. Aklog Videos:
http://www.empowher.com/users/dr-lishan-aklog

Visit Dr. Aklog at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center

 
Rate This

Health Theater Videos

View More Videos

Take our Featured Poll

Do you know what your cholesterol levels are? :
View Results