Endocarditis
Faculty:
Eugene Eisman, MD (view profile)
Thomas Fast, DDS, MS (view profile)
Price: $49.50
Duration: 6 Hours
Many routine dental and medical procedures, including the ordinary brushing and flossing of teeth, can release bacteria into the bloodstream. In most cases, these bacteria are harmless. In the case of certain heart patients, however, they may cause infective endocarditis, a serious and sometimes fatal illness.
We cannot predict with certainty which patients will contract the disease. Our best defense is knowing the facts. That's why it's important for health care professionals to be able to identify patients with predisposing conditions and take measures to protect them from endocarditis. The course is an important step in that direction. After outlining the anatomy of the heart, it discusses the pathogenesis of endocarditis, the relationship between dental procedures and the onset of endocarditis, clinical and at-risk signs, and dental procedures and antibiotic regimes for susceptible patients. Finally, it instructs the health care professional on strategies to counsel high-risk patients about the disease.
