Clindamicina para el tratamiento de infecciones dentales / Clindamycin for the treatment of dental infections

La clindamicina es un antibiótico de amplio espectro con actividad contra los aerobios grampositivos y una extensa gama de bacterias anaerobias, entre ellas los patógenos productores de betalactamasa. Los estudios in vitro e in vivo han demostrado que este fármaco alcanza una concentración elevada en el punto de infección, reduce la virulencia de las bacterias y refuerza las actividades fagocíticas de los linfocitos inmunitarios del huésped. La clindamicina por vía oral se absorbe con rapidez y eficacia, y su concentración permanece por encima de la concentración inhibidora mínima de la mayoría de los organismos por lo menos durante 6 horas. En este análisis, presentaremos pruebas de la eficacia e inocuidad de la clindamicina en el tratamiento de las infecciones odontogénicas con datos de estudios preclínicos y clínicos, los cuales avalan la aplicación general de este antibiótico como antiinfeccioso en el campo de la odontología.

Clindamycin is an antibiotic of wide range of action with a great activity against aerobic gram-positive germs and a broad spectrum of anaerobic bacteria, among which we can find the pathogenic agents that produce Beta-lactamase. The in vitro and in vivo have shown that this medicine reaches a high concentration at the infection point, reduces the bacteria virulence, and strengthens the phagocytic activity of the immunizing lymphocyte of the host. Clindamycin through oral ingestion is absorbed very quickly and effectively, and its concentration remains the same above the minimum inhibitory concentration of most of the organisms at least for six hours. In this analysis, we will introduce some proofs about the effectiveness and innocuousness of clindamycin in the treatment of odontogenic infections. This data is based upon clinical and pre-clinical studies that support the general use of this mentioned antibiotic as an anti-infectious agent in the field of odontology.

Private payers of health care in Brazil: characteristics, costs and coverage

The private sector is the predominant provider of health care in Brazil, particularly for inpatient services, and financing is a mix of public (through a prospective reimbursement system) and private. Roughly a quarter of the population has private insurance coverage, reflecting rapid growth in the past decade fuelled by the crisis in the public reimbursement system and the perceived deterioration of publicly provided care. Four major forms of insurance exist: (1) prepaid group practice; (2) medical cooperatives, physician owned and operated preferred provider organizations; (3) company health plans where employers ensure employee access to services under various types of arrangements from direct provision to purchasing of private services; and (4) health indemnity insurance. Each type of plan includes a wide variety of subplans from basic individual/family coverage to comprehensive executive coverage. The paper discusses the characteristics, costs and utilization patterns of all types of privately financed care, as well as the major problems associated with private financing: the limited package of benefits and low payout ceilings, inadequate consumer information and virtually no regulation.