Prophylaxis for infective endocarditis.

Although antibiotic prophylaxis for patients at risk for bacterial endocarditis has never been scientifcally tested, it is now an accepted practice in medicine. Patients at risk include all individuals with prosthetic valves, congenital or rheumatic heart disease, previous endocarditis, idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS), and mitral valve prolapse with a holosytolic murmur. Dental, upper respiratory tract, genitourinary and gastrointestinal procedures associated with bacteremia are reviewed. New antibiotic regimens utilizing oral agents for shorter periods have recently been published and are outlined here. Patients at high risk of endocarditis (especially those with prosthetic valves) should continue to receive prophylactic antibiotics by the parenteral route.