Diarrhea is as common as it is embarrassing, but it happens to everyone at least once in their lives. We deal with this type of ailment if the stool is clearly watery and we have to visit the toilet at least three times in one day. The worst is when diarrhea takes hold on an important day, when we can’t wait it out at home. That is why it is worth knowing which antidiarrheal drug to choose when you need to act quickly.
Diarrhea is also diagnosed when mucus or blood appears in even just one stool. It is divided into different types, because diarrhea can vary in terms of cause, duration. The most common is the acute type, which develops very quickly and can last up to 10 days. The main cause of such ailment is an infection of the digestive tract, caused by bacteria or viruses. They lead to diarrhea in two ways:
- Through the production of toxins that increase the secretion of fluids into the intestinal lumen,
- Or as a result of mucosal cell damage and reduced absorption of fluids from the intestinal lumen.
In this way, a larger than normal amount of water enters the large intestine, which it is unable to absorb.
Management of diarrhea
Usually, diarrhea eventually goes away on its own because it is self-limiting disease. The most problematic here is the large loss of electrolytes and water, which is especially dangerous in the case of children and the elderly, because it can even be life-threatening. That is why the right treatment in the case of diarrhea is to take oral rehydration fluids, or DPN for short. Administering them prevents dehydration, but does not relieve the symptoms of diarrhea and does not shorten it.
Charcoal or loperamide. What to choose?
There are currently many preparations for diarrhea on the pharmacy shelves. Many of them contain loperamide, which inhibits bowel movements – thanks to this, food content moves through the intestines more slowly, but the use of such preparations can cause other ailments, especially as a result of their too frequent use. The action of loperamide inhibits the body’s natural, defensive reflex, which is diarrhoea. Its main advantage is certainly the speed of operation. Unfortunately, too frequent or prolonged use of such drugs can lead to bloating, constipation and even intestinal obstruction…
Activated charcoal, which has strong absorption properties, is often used for drug poisoning because it facilitates their removal from the body. Its action is based on the ability to bind certain substances, which depends on their molecular weight and fat solubility. It removes toxins from the body and reduces gas production in the intestines. However, charcoal can interfere with the absorption of nutrients and drugs, so it should be taken 2 hours after taking pharmacological agents. In addition, it will be less effective in people with a slower metabolism. In case of diarrhea, it should be used for a maximum of 3 to 4 days.