antidiarrhoeal
Sign in to saveAlso known as antidiarrheals, antidiarrheal agents, antidiarrheal drugs
Antidiarrheals are a class of medication used primarily to manage and reduce the frequency of diarrhea. This class of medication predominantly works by slowing digestion, reducing fluid loss, or improving absorption. There are four main classes: opiates, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, adsorbents, and bulk-forming agents. Commonly used medications include loperamide (Imodium), diphenoxylate, bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol), Cholestyramine, and Octreotide. Although not considered an antidiarrheal, oral rehydration solutions are also an important aspect of managing diarrhea.
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- topic's main category
- Category:Antidiarrhoeals
- medical condition treated
- diarrhea
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Encyclopedic overview
13 sectionsContents
- Medical use
- Acute diarrhea
- Dehydration and oral replacement therapy
- Chronic diarrhea
- Adverse effects
- Opiates
- Bismuth subsalicylate
- Bile acid resins
- Alpha-2 (α<sub>2</sub>) adrenergic agonists
- 5-HT<sub>3</sub> antagonists
- Available forms
- See also
- References
Antidiarrheals are a class of medication used primarily to manage and reduce the frequency of diarrhea. This class of medication predominantly works by slowing digestion, reducing fluid loss, or improving absorption. There are four main classes: opiates, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, adsorbents, and bulk-forming agents. Commonly used medications include loperamide (Imodium), diphenoxylate, bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol), Cholestyramine, and Octreotide. Although not considered an antidiarrheal, oral rehydration solutions are also an important aspect of managing diarrhea.
== Medical use ==
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “antidiarrhoeal” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.