Antibiotic-associated diarrhea
Definition:
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea describes frequent, watery bowel movements (diarrhea) that occur in response to medications used to treat bacterial infections (antibiotics).
Most often, antibiotic-associated diarrhea is mild and clears up shortly after stopping the antibiotic. But in some cases, antibiotic-associated diarrhea leads to colitis, an inflammation of your colon, or a more serious form of colitis called pseudomembranous colitis. Both can cause abdominal pain, fever and bloody diarrhea.
Mild antibiotic-associated diarrhea may not require treatment. More serious antibiotic-associated diarrhea may require stopping or switching antibiotic medications.
Symptoms:
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea can cause signs and symptoms that range from mild to severe.
Common signs and symptoms
For most people, antibiotic-associated diarrhea causes mild signs and symptoms, such as:
More serious signs and symptoms
Some people experience a more serious form of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. When the overgrowth of harmful bacteria is severe, you may have signs and symptoms of colitis or pseudomembranous colitis, such as:
Call your doctor right away if you experience signs and symptoms of serious antibiotic-associated diarrhea. These signs and symptoms are common to a number of conditions, so your doctor may recommend tests to determine the cause.
Causes:
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea occurs when antibacterial medications (antibiotics) upset the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract.
The antibiotics most likely to cause diarrhea
Nearly all antibiotics can cause antibiotic-associated diarrhea, colitis or pseudomembranous colitis. The antibiotics most commonly linked to antibiotic-associated diarrhea include:
Your digestive tract is a complex ecosystem that's home to millions of microorganisms (intestinal flora), including hundreds of species of bacteria. Many of these bacteria are beneficial, performing essential functions. But some of the bacteria that normally inhabit your intestinal tract are potentially dangerous. The bad bacteria are usually kept in check by beneficial bacteria unless the delicate balance between the two is disturbed by illness, medications or other factors.
Antibiotics can be especially disruptive to intestinal flora because they destroy beneficial bacteria along with harmful ones. Without enough "good" microorganisms, "bad" bacteria that are resistant to the antibiotic you received grow out of control, producing toxins that can damage the bowel wall and trigger inflammation.
Clostridium difficile causes most serious antibiotic-associated diarrhea
The bacterium responsible for almost all cases of pseudomembranous colitis and many instances of severe antibiotic-associated diarrhea is C. difficile. Most people acquire a C. difficile infection during a stay in a hospital or nursing home after they've received antibiotics.
Complications:
The most severe form of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, pseudomembranous colitis, can lead to life-threatening complications, including:
Treatments and drugs:
Treatment for antibiotic-associated diarrhea depends on the severity of your signs and symptoms.
Treatments to cope with mild antibiotic-associated diarrhea
If you have mild diarrhea, your symptoms may clear up within a few days after your antibiotic treatment ends. In some cases your doctor may advise you to stop your antibiotic therapy until your diarrhea subsides. In the meantime, your doctor may recommend home care techniques to help you cope with diarrhea until it resolves on its own.
Treatment to fight bad bacteria in severe antibiotic-associated diarrhea
If you experience colitis or pseudomembranous colitis, your doctor may recommend antibiotics to kill the bad bacteria causing your antibiotic-associated diarrhea. For many people, this antibiotic targeted at the bad bacteria will clear up signs and symptoms. For those with pseudomembranous colitis, diarrhea symptoms may return and require repeated treatment.
Definition:
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea describes frequent, watery bowel movements (diarrhea) that occur in response to medications used to treat bacterial infections (antibiotics).
Most often, antibiotic-associated diarrhea is mild and clears up shortly after stopping the antibiotic. But in some cases, antibiotic-associated diarrhea leads to colitis, an inflammation of your colon, or a more serious form of colitis called pseudomembranous colitis. Both can cause abdominal pain, fever and bloody diarrhea.
Mild antibiotic-associated diarrhea may not require treatment. More serious antibiotic-associated diarrhea may require stopping or switching antibiotic medications.
Symptoms:
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea can cause signs and symptoms that range from mild to severe.
Common signs and symptoms
For most people, antibiotic-associated diarrhea causes mild signs and symptoms, such as:
- Loose stools
- More frequent bowel movements
More serious signs and symptoms
Some people experience a more serious form of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. When the overgrowth of harmful bacteria is severe, you may have signs and symptoms of colitis or pseudomembranous colitis, such as:
- Frequent, watery diarrhea
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Fever
- Pus in your stool
- Bloody stools
- Nausea
Call your doctor right away if you experience signs and symptoms of serious antibiotic-associated diarrhea. These signs and symptoms are common to a number of conditions, so your doctor may recommend tests to determine the cause.
Causes:
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea occurs when antibacterial medications (antibiotics) upset the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract.
The antibiotics most likely to cause diarrhea
Nearly all antibiotics can cause antibiotic-associated diarrhea, colitis or pseudomembranous colitis. The antibiotics most commonly linked to antibiotic-associated diarrhea include:
- Cephalosporins, such as cefixime (Suprax) and cefpodoxime (Vantin)
- Clindamycin (Cleocin)
- Erythromycin (Erythrocin, E.E.S., others)
- Penicillins, such as amoxicillin (Larotid, Moxatag, others) and ampicillin
- Quinolones, such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and levofloxacin (Levaquin)
- Tetracyclines, such as doxycycline (Vibramycin, Periostat, others) and minocycline (Minocin, Solodyn, others)
Your digestive tract is a complex ecosystem that's home to millions of microorganisms (intestinal flora), including hundreds of species of bacteria. Many of these bacteria are beneficial, performing essential functions. But some of the bacteria that normally inhabit your intestinal tract are potentially dangerous. The bad bacteria are usually kept in check by beneficial bacteria unless the delicate balance between the two is disturbed by illness, medications or other factors.
Antibiotics can be especially disruptive to intestinal flora because they destroy beneficial bacteria along with harmful ones. Without enough "good" microorganisms, "bad" bacteria that are resistant to the antibiotic you received grow out of control, producing toxins that can damage the bowel wall and trigger inflammation.
Clostridium difficile causes most serious antibiotic-associated diarrhea
The bacterium responsible for almost all cases of pseudomembranous colitis and many instances of severe antibiotic-associated diarrhea is C. difficile. Most people acquire a C. difficile infection during a stay in a hospital or nursing home after they've received antibiotics.
Complications:
The most severe form of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, pseudomembranous colitis, can lead to life-threatening complications, including:
- Dehydration. Severe diarrhea can lead to excessive
loss of fluids and electrolytes — essential substances such as sodium
and potassium. Extreme fluid loss can cause serious complications. Signs
and symptoms of dehydration include a very dry mouth, intense thirst,
little or no urination, and extreme weakness.
- A hole in your bowel (bowel perforation). Extensive damage to the lining of your large intestine can lead to a perforation in the wall of your intestine.
- Toxic megacolon. In this condition, your colon becomes unable to expel gas and stool, causing it to become greatly distended (megacolon). Signs and symptoms of toxic megacolon include abdominal pain and swelling, fever, and weakness. Toxic megacolon is a serious complication that can lead to infection or a ruptured colon. Toxic megacolon requires aggressive treatment, usually with medications.
Treatments and drugs:
Treatment for antibiotic-associated diarrhea depends on the severity of your signs and symptoms.
Treatments to cope with mild antibiotic-associated diarrhea
If you have mild diarrhea, your symptoms may clear up within a few days after your antibiotic treatment ends. In some cases your doctor may advise you to stop your antibiotic therapy until your diarrhea subsides. In the meantime, your doctor may recommend home care techniques to help you cope with diarrhea until it resolves on its own.
Treatment to fight bad bacteria in severe antibiotic-associated diarrhea
If you experience colitis or pseudomembranous colitis, your doctor may recommend antibiotics to kill the bad bacteria causing your antibiotic-associated diarrhea. For many people, this antibiotic targeted at the bad bacteria will clear up signs and symptoms. For those with pseudomembranous colitis, diarrhea symptoms may return and require repeated treatment.
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