Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Heart patients may now skip dental antibiotic

According to the American Heart Association, millions of patients with heart conditions no longer need to take antibiotics as a preventive measure before dental treatment. They no recommend only those patients at the greatest risk for infective endocarditis, which include those with artifical heart valves, a history of endocarditis, serious congenital heart conditions or heart transplants.

The new guidelines come after a literature review weighing the effectiveness of antibiotics against their possible risks, such as allergic reactions and the development of drug-resistant bacteria showed the risks outweighed the benefits for most patients.

Bonnie - this is a long time comng and very good to hear.

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