Antibiotic prophylaxis for infective endocarditis

Abstract

Some cardiac conditions require antibiotic prophylaxis for some types of dental treatment to reduce the risk of infective endocarditis. Infective endocarditis remains a major medical concern because of its mortality and its incidence is not decreasing. The preventing of this serious condition relies mainly on the administration of prophylactic antibiotics to patients at risk before they undergo a procedure considered to carry risk. All medical and dental practitioners are familiar with this practice but tend to use different regimens in apparently similar circumstances. This review article analyses and discusses the treatment regimen in the prevention of infective endocarditis.