Secondary prevention

Any patient who has prosthetic material, either valve or graft, will require antibiotic prophylaxis for invasive procedures.[51][52] The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated their guidance in 2015, changing their recommendations from advising against, to supporting the use of, antibiotic prophylaxis in people undergoing dental procedures and procedures involving the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, the genitourinary tract and the respiratory tract.[53] This was in response to an increased incidence of infective endocarditis in England between 2000 and 2013.[54]

Patients with mechanical valves will need lifelong warfarin therapy.[52]

Children require repeated refraction measurements to prevent amblyopia.

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