Patients with mitral valve prolapse, valve prostheses, previous endocarditis, congenital heart diseases, and intravenous use of illegal drugs are are at increased risk for endocarditis. Patients at known increased risk for endocarditis should consult their primary physician about the need to receive antibiotics prior to dental or genitourinary procedures.

Intravenous drug users should seek treatment for addiction or if that is not possible, use new (i.e., sterile) syringes and clean the injection site before every injection to avoid blood infections leading to endocarditis.

For all patients at risk for endocarditis, maintenance of meticulous dental hygiene is of equal importance to antibiotic prophylaxis in the prevention of endocarditis.