Table 1.

Comparison of guidelines for infective endocarditis prophylaxis (1997–2008).

Guidelines		AHA 199717	SPILF/ SFC 200218	ESC 200419	BSAC 200520	AHA 20074	NICE 200821
Risk groups described based on cardiac conditions*		High, moderate, negligible	High, low	High, moderate	High	High	High
Risk groups where prophylaxis is recommended or optional†		High, moderate	High, low	High, moderate	High	High	-
	Dental	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	Respiratory	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Procedures with recommendation for prophylaxis‡	Gastrointestinal	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Genitourinary	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Infected skin/musculoskeletal	Yes	N/A	N/A	N/A	Yes	N/A
Antiseptic rinse		Yes	Yes	Optional	Yes	No	No

*Individual guidelines have classified cardiac conditions into different groups based on their risk for IE. The cardiac conditions included, as well as the risk groups described, differ among individual guidelines. We have tabulated the risk groups described by these guidelines.

† In the setting of a procedure causing bacteremia.

‡ In patients with cardiac risk factors.

Yes: Prophylaxis recommended when criteria met; No: Prophylaxis not recommended; N/A: No specific recommendation. Bold typeface used to emphasize the change in recommendations from yes to no.

AHA, American Heart Association; BSAC, British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy; ESC, European Society of Cardiology; NICE, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence; SPILF/SFC, Société de Pathologie Infectieuse de Langue Française/ Société Française de Cardiologie.