Reliability of self-reported heart murmur history: possible impact on antibiotic use in dentistry.
Administration of prophylactic antibiotics to a dental patient with a history of heart murmur, rheumatic fever or mitral valve prolapse should be based on a reliable diagnosis of heart valve disease. The authors conducted a study of 68 diabetic patients who reported having these conditions and found that at least 65 percent of these patients actually had no evidence of a pathological heart murmur during two previous physical examinations. They concluded that a self-reported history of heart valve disease should not be the sole criterion for antibiotic premedication.
Guggenheimer
J
J
Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, PA 15261, USA.
Orchard
T J
TJ
Moore
P A
PA
Myers
D E
DE
Rossie
K M
KM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003729:Dental Care; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000517:prevention & control; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006337:Heart Murmurs / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D008945:Mitral Valve Prolapse / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D010808:Physical Examination; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012649:Self Concept