[Drug induced diarrhea]

Rev Med Suisse. 2008 Sep 3;4(169):1867-8, 1870-2.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Diarrhea is a frequent adverse event involving the most frequently antibiotics, laxatives and NSAI. Drug induced diarrhea may be acute or chronic. It may be due to expected, dose dependant properties of the drug, to immuno-allergic or bio-genomic mechanisms. Several pathophysiological mechanisms have been described resulting in osmotic, secretory or inflammatory diarrhea, shortened transit time, or malabsorption. Histopathological lesions sometimes associated with drug induced diarrhea are usually non specific and include ulcerations, inflammatory or ischemic lesions, fibrous diaphragms, microscopic colitis and apoptosis. The diagnosis of drug induced diarrhea, sometimes difficult to assess, relies on the absence of other obvious causes and on the rapid disappearance of the symptoms after withdrawal of the suspected drug.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / adverse effects
  • Colitis, Ischemic / chemically induced
  • Colitis, Ischemic / pathology
  • Colitis, Microscopic / chemically induced
  • Colitis, Microscopic / pathology
  • Colon / pathology
  • Diarrhea / chemically induced*
  • Diarrhea / classification
  • Diarrhea / diagnosis
  • Diarrhea / pathology
  • Diarrhea / physiopathology
  • Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions*
  • Feces / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Mucosa / pathology
  • Intestine, Small / pathology
  • Malabsorption Syndromes / complications

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal