Prophylaxis against infective endocarditis: antimicrobial prophylaxis against infective endocarditis in adults and children undergoing interventional procedures

Infective endocarditis

Infective endocarditis is an infection of the lining of the heart, often involving the heart valves. It can affect people who have certain heart problems, such as those who have had a replacement valve or have a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, in which the muscle wall of the heart becomes thickened (see am I at risk of infective endocarditis?). It is caused mainly by bacteria, which enter the blood from outside the body. It is a very rare but serious condition.