title: A new risk factor for infective endocarditis.
abstract: Body piercing has become an increasingly common practice in recent decades, especially among young people. However, it is not a completely safe procedure and may have serious complications such as infective endocarditis, which can occur in individuals with or without previous heart disease. In this paper we report a case of endocarditis after body piercing in a young woman with a pacemaker who needed surgical intervention. We also review cases of endocarditis after piercing described in the literature. Now that the recommendations of the American Heart Association for prophylaxis of infective endocarditis are more restricted, we discuss the need for inclusion of body piercings among procedures requiring prophylactic therapy in high-risk individuals.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia, Hospital de Santa Marta, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Toste
authors.forename: Lurdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: José Alberto
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feliciano
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Conceição
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baquero
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fragata
authors.forename: Rui Cruz
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D046288:Body Piercing / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors