ANTIBIOTICS

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone here takes antibiotics for the heart. I recently had an ear infections and I had to take antibiotics for the infection. In some weird way, my heart function a lot better with fewer extra heart beats.
My question to anyone here, is antibiotics good for the heart. I once saw on the news a Doctor stated that people having heart disease should take antibiotics, but, I never pay any attention to it until after this last ear infection when I was given antibiotic treatment. If anyone can share any light on this topic I would great appreciate it.

Thank you,

James

7 Comments

yes for sure

by jessie - 2009-10-03 04:10:01

i am always still on antibiotics when i have dental work. it is to prevent any infection spreading to the heart. i had rheumatic fever as a youngster. think of how close the ear is to the heart. i think it is a good precaution. jessie

Link

by golden_snitch - 2009-10-03 05:10:27

You can get the full article with the new guidelines here:
http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.183095

new guidelines

by golden_snitch - 2009-10-03 05:10:46

There are certain groups of patients who should get antibiotics before dental work or surgeries but the guidelines about who qualifies for this precaution have been updated. Here's what the American Heart Association says:

New guidelines regarding antibiotics to prevent infective endocarditis

The American Heart Association recently updated its guidelines regarding which patients should take a precautionary antibiotic to prevent infective endocarditis (IE) before a trip to the dentist.

The guidelines, published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, are based on a growing body of scientific evidence that shows that, for most people, the risks of taking prophylaxis antibiotics for certain procedures outweigh the benefits. These guidelines represent a major change in philosophy.

The new guidelines show taking preventive antibiotics is not necessary for most people and, in fact, might create more harm than good. Unnecessary use of antibiotics could cause allergic reactions and dangerous antibiotic resistance.

Only the people at greatest risk of bad outcomes from infective endocarditis — an infection of the heart's inner lining or the heart valves — should receive short-term preventive antibiotics before common, routine dental and medical procedures.

Patients at the greatest danger of bad outcomes from IE and for whom preventive antibiotics are worth the risks include those with:

* artificial heart valves
* a history of having had IE
* certain specific, serious congenital (present from birth) heart conditions, including:
- unrepaired or incompletely repaired cyanotic congenital heart disease, including those with palliative shunts and conduits
- a completely repaired congenital heart defect with prosthetic material or device, whether placed by surgery or by catheter interventions, during the first six months after the procedure
-any repaired congenital heart defect with residual defect at the site or adjacent to the site of a prosthetic patch or prosthetic device
* a cardiac transplant which develops a problem in a heart valve.

Best wishes
Inga

antibiotics kill infection

by Tracey_E - 2009-10-03 06:10:36

Antibiotics will prevent infection if you are at risk such as during dental procedures, as Inga and the others said. If you have an infection of the heart, antibiotics will help. I've never heard of antibiotics doing anything to help your heart if you don't have an infection and my gut reaction is it's a bad idea. Taking them when you don't need them builds your immunity to them so that when you do have an infection, your body is less likely to respond.

Antibiotics for heart

by ElectricFrank - 2009-10-03 12:10:15

They used to recommend antibiotics be given to anyone who had rheumatic fever as a child before dental procedures and surgeries. There was a piece on TV about the practice being unnecessary. Maybe that's what you saw.

It is certainly possible to have a bacterial infection settle in the heart and cause damage. I have often suspected an infection was what lead to my AV Block.

frank

Thanks guys

by Christmmpace - 2009-10-03 12:10:54

Very nice to see such a response to this posting. I appreciate all of your comments and special thanks for the link Snitch. Take care and have a awesome weekend.

James

Better safe than sorry

by i_nurse99 - 2009-11-09 02:11:27

It is not a good idea to take antibiotics when you don't need to; you will build a resistance and when you really need them they won't work...and you can develop a worse infection requiring even stronger antibiotics. We often tend to over use antibiotics and then the infections become resistant to them I will tell you that I will take an antibiotic before dental work. I believe it is better to be safe than sorry and end up with endocarditis which is a cardiac infection. My cardiologist did recommend pre med before dental work and so does my dentist. I hope this helps.

Cathy

You know you're wired when...

Your heart beats like a teenager in love.

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