Drug-Induced Diarrhea

Drug-Induced Diarrhea is a very common (side) effect of therapy. Diarrhea is of practical significance in therapy with:


 * antibiotics,
 * cytostatics,
 * digitalis,
 * laxatives.

Antibiotics
ATB Therapy often lead to mild diarrhea due to disturbance of the intestinal microflora. However, life-threatening pseudomembranous colitis can also occur when bacterium C.difficile overgrows in the gut.

Cytostatics
Cytostatics acts on proliferating tissue cells, including the intestinal mucosa, which has the ability to renew itself periodically. Insufficient ability to restore the mucosal barrier leads to the multiplication of bacteria and suppression of some immune processes. As a result, bacteria penetrate the intestinal wall much more easily. This can lead lead gut microflora disbalance that results in diarrhea.

Digitalis
Digitalis is a medicine used in treatment of heart failure. Gastrointestinal side effects are due to its effects on the pathways of the parasympathetic nervous system. The unwanted side effect of diarrhea when taking Digitalis is usually associated with serious Digitalis intoxication.

Laxatives
Laxatives are drugs originally designed to treat constipation.

Related articles

 * Antidiarrheals