What is endocarditis prophylaxis?
Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner walls of the heart. This is a comparatively rare disease, but it can be dangerous and difficult to treat. The inflammation of the inner walls of the heart is caused by pathogens.
In most cases, these are bacteria, but more rarely, fungal infections can also cause the inflammation. Certain groups of patients and certain medical treatments can significantly increase the risk of endocarditis, so prophylaxis is necessary. As a result of medical interventions, small amounts of the pathogens enter the bloodstream.
Although these do not cause blood poisoning there, they can become lodged in the heart on the inner walls and especially on the heart valves and cause the inflammation. As a prophylaxis, an antibiotic can be prescribed before particularly endangered interventions. However, the prescription of antibiotics must be checked very carefully according to the guidelines, as too much use can promote resistance of the bacteria. This may also be of interest to you: Symptoms of endocarditis
Who needs endocarditis prophylaxis?
Patients with an artificial biological or mechanical heart valve are particularly at risk for developing endocarditis. The foreign material inside the heart particularly favors the colonization of the bacteria circulating in the blood. Other foreign material inside the heart also poses a risk.
Thus, patients with reconstructed heart valves, operated heart defects or heart defects with short-circuit connections of the venous and arterial blood circulation are particularly at risk. Previous endocarditis diseases also indicate an individual tendency to this inflammation and represent an important risk factor for further diseases. Not affected are patients with heart valve diseases without foreign implants or previous heart surgery.
In the past, these patients also received prophylaxis. Even today, antibiotics are still frequently taken beforehand during surgical operations and dental treatment, although these would not be necessary according to the guidelines. Even though various pathogens can enter the bloodstream through the skin by inserting a stent, endocarditis prophylaxis is not required for this procedure. Even high-risk patients do not need to take antibiotics before the procedure.
