New guidelines on antibiotic prophylaxis against infective endocarditis

18 March 2008

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today issued a clinical guideline on antibiotic prophylaxis against infective endocarditis (IE). In a significant change to current clinical practice, the guideline recommends that antibiotics to prevent IE should not be given to adults and children with structural cardiac defects at risk of IE who are undergoing dental and non-dental interventional procedures.

Anne Keatley-Clarke, Chief Executive of the Children's Heart Federation and member of the GDG, said: "During the past couple of years patients with congenital heart conditions and their parents have been given contradictory advice regarding the prescribing of prophylaxis for infective endocarditis. We therefore welcome this clear guideline and hope that cardiologists, dentists and other medical professionals will agree to follow it. The guideline will mean a big change for the many heart children who previously received antibiotics before all dental procedures so professionals must be prepared to give these patients and their parents a clear explanation for the changes."

See our updated fact sheet on Infective Endocarditis for more information.