The blockbuster cholesterol drug Vytorin failed to improve a rare heart valvecondition called aortic stenosis and seemed to increase rates of cancer, a new study says, dealing another blow to the top-selling drug and its makers, Merck and Schering-Plough .
For certain heart conditions, antibiotics are recommended about one hour before invasive medical procedures to prevent a condition called infective endocarditis, which is a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection of the inner lining or valve within the heart.