Study Shows Antibiotic Regimen Doesn't Prevent Heart Disease

Recent research at the University of Washington brings disappointing results: taking antibiotics (at least, taking the antibiotics azithromycin or gatifloxacin) does not reduce the chances of heart attack or other related problems.

It was hoped that the antibiotic regimen would kill off the bacteria Chlamydia pneumoniae (not the sexually-spread chlamydia species), one of the bacteria known to be associated with inflammation and hardening of the arteries associated with heart disease.

It looks like the next step is to test antibiotics effective against the four types of gum disease-causing bacteria recently linked with arterial disease.