Examples
The following antibiotics are used
individually or in combination.
Preventive antibiotics for endocarditis
| amoxicillin |
Amoxil,
Larotid,
|
| ampicillin |
Marcillin,
Principen,
|
| gentamicin sulfate |
|
Preventive antibiotics for endocarditis (if you are allergic to penicillin)
| azithromycin |
|
| cefazolin |
Ancef
|
| cephalexin |
Biocef,
Keflex,
|
| clarithromycin |
Biaxin
|
| clindamycin |
|
| vancomycin |
Vancocin
|
Preventive antibiotics for rheumatic fever
| benzathine |
| penicillin g |
| penicillin v |
| sulfadiazine |
Preventive antibiotics for rheumatic fever (if you are allergic to penicillin)
| 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:
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.
