Definition
Contrary to constipation, diarrhea frames a very common disturbance of defecation, consisting in the urgent and rapid emission of faeces, generally not very voluminous and purely watery or semi-liquid, repeated more than three times during the 24 hours. It should be emphasized that diarrhea cannot be called a pathology in all respects; rather, it is classifiable as a non-specific symptom common to many diseases.
Causes
The intestine is an organ that is very sensitive to small changes in the body; therefore, being an intestinal disorder, diarrhea is caused by numerous and varied causes, ranging from psychological to physical ones. The most frequent causes are: food, food allergies or intolerances, intake of antibiotics / laxatives / NSAIDs, colon cancer, ulcerative colitis, diabetes, gastroenteritis, bacterial infections (salmonella, cholera, shighella etc.), hyperthyroidism, malabsorption, syndrome of irritable colon / Zollinger-Ellison, stress.
Symptoms
The signs associated with the manifestation of diarrhea can include abdominal cramps and pain, fever, dark and watery stools, abdominal bloating, blood in the stool (especially in conjunction with hemorrhoids). The intensity of the symptoms clearly depends on the cause that causes the alteration of intestinal motility; furthermore, diarrhea can cause a significant loss of water and salts, and in some cases it can cause dehydration.
Natural Care
Diet and Nutrition
Information on Diarrhea - Drugs for the Treatment of Diarrhea is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Diarrhea - Drugs for Diarrhea Treatment.
drugs
Many times, diarrhea tends to self-purify without the need for drugs or treatments; before undertaking a therapeutic procedure for the treatment of the disorder, the doctor's control is certainly necessary, since, as we have analyzed, the basis of diarrhea includes many and many different factors. According to this, it is easy to understand how the treatment for diarrhea should differentiate precisely on the basis of the pathological condition that triggered it.
The most fearsome complication is dehydration: in similar situations, it is necessary to reintegrate the electrolytes and sugars lost through electrolytic solutions, to be taken intravenously or, when possible, with food.
Inhibitors of intestinal motility (antidiarrheal): to be used also in case of acute diarrhea, complicated or not. It is also recommended to take electrolyte solutions intravenously if the diarrhea was accompanied by dehydration. It should be pointed out that taking antidiarrheal drugs is not useful for treating the pathology underlying diarrhea, but simply treats the symptoms.
- Lactobacillus Acidophilus (eg Lacteol, Lacteol Forte): it is an antidiarrheal of microbial origin, consisting of inactivated microbes of Lactobacillus acidophilus . In particular, it is indicated for the treatment of diarrhea associated with dyspepsia or colitis, especially in the newborn. For the treatment of acute diarrhea, start therapy with 2 capsules of 5 billion Lactobacillus acidophilus, three times a day; continue with 2 capsules, twice a day.
- Salicylated bismuth: the dosage of this antidiarrheal (also used for the treatment of gastritis) varies from 87 to 262 mg, to be taken every 30-60 minutes, as needed. Generally, this drug is indicated for the treatment of diarrhea in children. Consult your doctor.
- Saccharomyces boulardii lyo : this antidiarrheal / probiotic is indicated for the treatment of acute diarrhea: indicatively, the dosage is 250 mg (1 capsule), twice a day.
- Loperamide (eg Imodium): start treatment for acute diarrhea with 4 mg of drug per os, to be taken after the first evacuation. Continue therapy with 2 mg of substance (do not exceed 16 mg in 24 hours). Generally, the disorder vanishes in 48 hours. Do not take the medicine for more than 5 consecutive days. For the treatment of chronic diarrhea, take 4 mg of drug per os, followed by 2 mg of active following each evacuation. Do not exceed 14 mg in 24 hours. The maintenance dose varies from 4 to 8 mg. In general, the clear clinical improvement is observable after 10 days of therapy.
- Difenoxylate: take 2 tablets or 10 ml of solution per os, 4 times a day. Maintenance therapy involves taking 2 tablets once a day. The dosage just described is indicated for the treatment of acute diarrhea in adults; for the child, the dose varies according to age (1.5-10 ml, 4 times a day). Consult your doctor.
- Codeine (eg Hederix Plan, Codein FN): in addition to cough treatment, codeine is sometimes used in therapy for the treatment of acute uncomplicated adult diarrhea. The indicative dose is 30 mg, 3-4 times a day. The drug is not indicated for children.
Rehydration therapy : as we have pointed out many times, dehydration is a secondary effect closely related to diarrhea. To counteract this disorder, it is necessary to replenish electrolytes and fluids lost during evacuations. Rehydration therapy can also be performed orally, as well as intravenously. It has been observed that the intestine is able to more simply absorb water and sodium in case of concomitant intake of glucose, potassium and rice starch. Consult your doctor.
Antispasmodics and anticholinergics : they are not the drugs used as the first line for the treatment of diarrhea. They are indicated to reduce the symptoms that accompany the disorder, such as cramps and abdominal pain. Among these, the most suitable are:
- Scopolamine (eg Erion, Addofix): particularly indicated for giving symptomatic relief to gastrointestinal disorders (smooth muscle spasm). Or take 20 mg of active ingredient 4 times a day (halve the dose for children aged between 6 and 12 years). It is also possible to administer the drug intravenously, at the same dose.
- Alverina citrate: we recommend oral administration of 60-120 mg 1-3 times a day. It is not recommended for children under 12 to be administered.
- Atropine sulfate (eg Atropine Lux): useful in case of spasm of smooth muscles in the context of diarrhea. Generally, the drug is administered by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection at a dosage of 20 mcg per kilo of body weight (maximum dose 600 mcg).
Antiemetics : they are indicated in case of vomiting in the context of diarrhea. They are not recommended for children. They are not the first line treatment for diarrhea treatment. Consult your doctor.
Broad spectrum antibiotics : indicated in case of diarrhea dependent on bacterial infections. However, antibiotics are not generally used to treat diarrhea associated with simple gastroenteritis, even in the case of a presumed bacterial infection, given that the condition tends to resolve itself in a few days. Only in the case of diarrhea in the context of proven bacterial co-infection, the doctor can prescribe antibiotic drugs.
In the event of taking drugs for more or less serious diseases, one of the most frequent problems linked to the co-manifestation of diarrhea is the modulation of the absorption of the active ingredients: the dosage of the drug being taken will have to be modified by the doctor, given that diarrhea can promote the expulsion of the active ingredient even before the organism can have absorbed it.
