Antibiotics are widely used in medicine. There are different varieties used to fight mainly bacterial infections. On this subject, Dr. Martín Rapado Viera, specialist of First Degree in Comprehensive General Medicine, Second Degree in Internal Medicine, Master of Science in Infectious Diseases, Assistant Professor and Aggregate Investigator of the Academy of Sciences, offered the following interview.
What are antibiotics?
Antibiotics are medicines used for the treatment of infectious diseases, especially bacterial diseases, hence they are known as antibacterials. They also have bacteriostatic action by preventing the growth of germs. Antibiotics usually help the defenses until local responses are sufficient to control the infection. These biochemical substances, with a sequence, are capable of destroying bacteria.
In the world, the use of antibiotics is widespread. What classifications should doctors consider to prescribe them?
Antibiotics are classified into different groups, including beta-lactam antibiotics (penicillin and cephalosporin); the quinolones and the calvapénicos. All of them are divided into several generations or classes, which make them more or less effective according to the treatment.
What aspects should patients take into account when consuming antibiotics?
The first thing is that these drugs should only be used with the prescription of a doctor. It is recommended that the patient should not consume alcohol because it produces side effects, and should go immediately to the nearest health area before any other symptom.
According to research, certain bacteria are resistant to the effects of antibiotics, why?
In today's modern world, the big transnationals try to produce a lot of antibiotics. But the indiscriminate use of these drugs has caused a global health problem: bacterial resistance. This resistance goes back to the origins of these medications. Currently, it is higher, because these organisms have a genetic component in terms of consistency. Many patients, not only in Cuba but all over the world, doctors trying to offer a pleasant medicine, prescribe antibiotics when people are really facing a virus process and patients do not necessarily need them.
How do you see the future regarding this aspect?
The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has led to the fact that in the coming years it is possible that we have very little therapeutic arsenal against bacteria, which have been much more "smart" than the researchers, since these bacteria have created resistant mechanisms . Maybe it's not like that. New medications may be created.
