Chronic diarrhea medical therapy

	Chronic diarrhea Microchapters
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Patient Information
Overview
Historical Perspective
Classification
Pathophysiology
Causes
Differentiating Chronic diarrhea from other Diseases
Epidemiology and Demographics
Risk Factors
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Natural History, Complications and Prognosis
Diagnosis
History and Symptoms
Physical Examination
Laboratory Findings
Electrocardiogram
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Future or Investigational Therapies
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Case #1

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Omodamola Aje B.Sc, M.D. [2]

Overview

Antidiarrheal drugs can be broadly defined as agents that minimize the symptoms of diarrhea by improving stool consistency, reducing stool frequency, or reducing stool weight.^[1]

Medical Therapy

Antidiarrheal drugs are prescribed depending on the underlying mechanism for example, in a patient with Zollinger-ellison syndrome (ZES) where hypersecretion of gastrin is the underlying cause of the diarrhea, proton pump inhibitors can be used.^[1] Below are some of the drugs that can be used in the symptomatic treatment of chronic diarrhea and some of their mechanisms of actions. Some drugs have numerous mechanisms of action and can thus be found under more than one sections. It is important to know that these drugs are used for the symptomatic treatment of chronic diarrhea. In order to appropriately treat chronic diarrhea, the underlying cause of the disease must be identified.

Inhibitors of intestinal transit time