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Is It Not Safe To Have Amoxicillin For Heart Murmur?
Question: I have a heart murmur and have always taken amoxicillin before work was done. The dentist said it was not necessary Has there been a change?
Brief Answer:
Yes, new changes mean fewer antibiotics needed
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for consulting us on Health Care Magic.
Yes, there has been a change in thinking about this in the last few years. Once we thought that anyone with a murmur was at risk for a heart valve infection called bacterial (or infective) endocarditis when they had invasive procedure like dental work. More recent studies have shown that most patients with a murmur are not at risk. There are some patients that still need antibiotics before dental procedures, these include patients with heart transplants, patients with certain types of valve replacements and patients that have had congenital heart defects repaired. If you are not sure what type of problem you have causing your murmur you could consider having your doctor order an echocardiogram to check that out, but in most problems causing murmurs you do not need antibiotics prior to dental procedures.
Here is a link to the XXXXXXX Dental Association website giving you more information on these changes.
http://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/antibiotic-prophylaxis
Good luck and good health to you.
Yes, new changes mean fewer antibiotics needed
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for consulting us on Health Care Magic.
Yes, there has been a change in thinking about this in the last few years. Once we thought that anyone with a murmur was at risk for a heart valve infection called bacterial (or infective) endocarditis when they had invasive procedure like dental work. More recent studies have shown that most patients with a murmur are not at risk. There are some patients that still need antibiotics before dental procedures, these include patients with heart transplants, patients with certain types of valve replacements and patients that have had congenital heart defects repaired. If you are not sure what type of problem you have causing your murmur you could consider having your doctor order an echocardiogram to check that out, but in most problems causing murmurs you do not need antibiotics prior to dental procedures.
Here is a link to the XXXXXXX Dental Association website giving you more information on these changes.
http://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/antibiotic-prophylaxis
Good luck and good health to you.
Note: Find out which dental treatment will work best for your teeth. Ask here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Answered by
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