Biliary dyskinesia medical therapy

Medical therapy mostly includes of symptomatic treatment of abdominal pain and IV opiates are the drug of choice, although some studies have suggested that opiates cause sphincter of Oddi contraction.

• Medical therapy mostly includes of symptomatic treatment of abdominal pain:^[1][2]
  • Opiates (intravenous) are the drug of choice, although some studies have suggested that opiates cause sphincter of Oddi contraction.
  • Muscle relaxants have been reported to be ineffective.
  • Calcium channel blockers (CCB) have been reported to be ineffective.
    • However, CCBs like nifedipine have been reported to have potential effect in improving the pain but headache and tachycardia are the adverse effects.^[3]

• Alternative treatments that may be effective by a cholagogue effect (increases bile discharge from the biliary system), or a choleretic effect (increases bile secretion from the liver) include:^[4]
  • Artichokes
  • Celandine
  • Dandelion
  • St. John’s Wort

• Other reported effective measures in biliary dyskinesia include:^[5]
  • Smoking cessation
  • Avoidance of fatty food
  • Frequent meal consumption
  • Lying on the right side after meals
  • Weight loss
  • Increase in physical activity