Antidiarrhoeal
Overview
Overview
An antidiarrhoeal drug is any medication which provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea.
Types
Types
- Electrolyte solutions are used to replace lost fluids and salts in acute cases.
- Bulking agents like methylcellulose, guar gum or plant fibre (bran, sterculia, ispaghul, etc.) are used for diarrhoea in functional bowel disease and to control ileostomy output.
- Absorbents absorb toxic substances that cause infective diarrhoea, methylcellulose is an absorbent as well.
- Opiates slow intestinal transit, but Loperamide is most commonly used, since it doesn’t have the usual narcotic side effects.
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