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The American Heart Association has just published an update -- most people should not take antibiotics before visiting the dentist. And it was only last week I was saying that people do! It seems that the risk of endocarditis is minimal when people have only slight heart irregularities. Read the summary here, and the American Heart Association is here.
2 comments:
Bryan 4270
I think it was a serious mistake for American Heart Association (AHA) to put all people at risk of endocarditis in one group. Just as you would not put stitches on a minor cut, the AHA should not have thought a person with a minor heart problem would not be the same as a person with a major heart problem. And by this I mean a person who is more at risk of endocarditis than a person who is minimally at risk, especially when you are dealing with antibotics and possibly putting someone at risk of developing a resistance to. Do not get me wrong; I am sure the AHA had the best intentions, but I still believe more research should have been done. After the 1999 studies that found that "brushing twice a day for a year carried a 154,000 times greater risk of exposure to blood-borne bacteria than a single tooth extraction," the AHA should have really considered where more bacteria comes from the dentist or daily activites. People with valve problems probaby get paranoid before they enter a dentist office because of the fear of endocarditis. Fortunately, the AHA set new guidelines and this is no longer the practice. For those who are still at risk of endocarditis should really seek their doctor to weigh the consequences of continuing to take an antibiotic or stopping. The American Dental Association has guidelines that you and your doctor should follow as to if you should continue taking antibiotics or not.
ADA Guidelines:
http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/infective_endocarditis.asp
Mayo Clinic:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antibiotics/FL00075
Amira, 7670
This article was very interesting to me becuase just a couple of weeks ago my father had gone to the dentist. Coincidentally he was talking to me about how he had to go to his doctor to get a perscription from him for antibiotics before going to the dentist. His appointment was for deep cleaning, since he had not been to the dentist over some time. My dad does have some heart conditions, but not to the point where it is severe IE. He has some minor problems with his mitral valve.
This article, however was quite a disappointing surprise to me. Knowing that this has just recently been developed after 50 years is of concern. Sometimes I feel that doctors nowardays make it so easy to perscribe antibiotics. I even notice it in other illnesses; it always seems like the first solution that comes to mind is through antibiotics. From my very narrow knowledge regarding antibiotics, I know that they are something that the body should not be getting used to. The more often we take such medicine, the more often our bodies will get used to it. Thus, when the time comes where we are in severe pain, or are in dire need for such medicine the normal dose won't be as effective.
This has made me think about the fact that before perscribing antibiotics nowadays so easily, doctors should think more about the patient, rather than aiming to benefit the pharmecuetical companies.
(My disclaimer: I am somewhat ignorant when it comes to such an industry, so corrections are welcomed =).)
In addition, it seems like many reactions that occur in our bodies can usually be prevented in actions taken ourselves before depending on medicine. It was interesting to me that risks of IE can be increased simply by bacteria getting into the blood stream through brushing ones teeth. Thus, such risks are a lot greater by doing our daily routines than antibiotics would be preventing in a dental procedure.
*This was an article published in WebMD in 2003 reagarding taking antibiotics before having dental work. It's interesting to note what doctor's recommended before this new development took place:
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/antibiotics-before-treatment
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