Antibiotics for heart valve disease

Examples

The following antibiotics are used individually or in combination.

Preventive antibiotics for endocarditis

Generic Name	Brand Name
amoxicillin	Amoxil, Larotid,
ampicillin	Marcillin, Principen,
gentamicin sulfate

Preventive antibiotics for endocarditis (if you are allergic to penicillin)

Generic Name	Brand Name
azithromycin
cefazolin	Ancef
cephalexin	Biocef, Keflex,
clarithromycin	Biaxin
clindamycin
vancomycin	Vancocin

Preventive antibiotics for rheumatic fever

Generic Name
benzathine
penicillin g
penicillin v
sulfadiazine

Preventive antibiotics for rheumatic fever (if you are allergic to penicillin)

Generic Name	Brand Name
azithromycin	Zithromax
erythromycin	E-Mycin

How It Works

Antibiotics kill bacteria or stop bacteria from growing.

Why It Is Used

Antibiotics in valve disease are generally used to lower the risk of endocarditis and rheumatic fever. These conditions can cause valve problems to get worse.

Many heart conditions put people at risk for endocarditis. But if you have certain heart conditions, getting endocarditis is even more dangerous for you. These heart conditions include:

• Artificial heart valves.
• Endocarditis in the past.
• Heart defects since birth (congenital heart defects).
• Heart valve problems after a heart transplant.

If you have any of these heart conditions, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics before you have certain dental or surgical procedures, to prevent endocarditis.

How Well It Works

Antibiotics have been shown to reduce the risk of endocarditis and rheumatic fever.

Side Effects

The most common side effects of antibiotics include:

• Nausea and vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Mild allergic reactions including skin rash, fever, and sometimes difficulty breathing.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

If your doctor decides that you need antibiotics, he or she will decide on the best antibiotics for you based on the level of your risk and any allergies to antibiotics that you may have.

People who receive gentamicin sulfate may develop hearing loss. Gentamicin or vancomycin may lead to kidney damage. Kidney damage usually clears up after the medicines are stopped.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

Author:	Robin Parks, MS	Last Updated: March 18, 2008
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology
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