Man Urges NICE to Revise Antibiotic Guidelines After Life-Threatening Infections

Greg Hutton, 62, from Swansea, calls for clearer guidance after surviving two bouts of endocarditis linked to a tooth extraction without preventive antibiotics.

• Greg Hutton contracted life-threatening endocarditis twice after a 2017 tooth extraction, which was performed without preventive antibiotics due to NICE guidelines.
• Hutton, born with a congenital heart defect, believes his infections and subsequent heart attack could have been avoided with preemptive antibiotic treatment.
• The 2008 NICE guidance discourages routine antibiotic use before dental procedures, citing risks of overuse, but critics argue it lacks clarity for high-risk patients.
• Since the guideline change, an estimated 6,700 preventable cases of endocarditis and 2,000 related deaths have occurred in the UK, according to legal experts.
• NICE updated its guidance in October 2024 to include links to Scottish dental advice but maintains antibiotics should not be routinely prescribed, sparking calls for further changes.

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