Medications for vomiting and diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea are those "enemies" of a person that always appear unexpectedly and at the wrong time, changing plans, crushing aspirations, breaking schedules. But in fact, we should be grateful to our body, because this is how it warns us about toxins that have gotten inside us and are harmful to our health, and tries to get rid of them. If you find yourself in such a situation, you need to independently assess your condition. If these two symptoms are not complicated by high temperature, pain, then you can try to cope with the problem yourself. There are numerous medications for this.

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Indications for vomiting and diarrhea.

Indications for the use of medicines for vomiting and diarrhea are the following symptoms that arise due to overeating, eating fatty and fried foods, mild food poisoning, stress or fear, taking medications, climate change, pregnancy. Such ailments last no more than three days, are not accompanied by fever, and do not worsen over time. Severe vomiting, continuous diarrhea, especially the presence of blood in the feces, high fever, fever, severe weakness indicate either serious poisoning or infections such as salmonella, dysentery and do not leave time for experiments, but require immediate medical intervention.

Release form

Antidiarrhea and anti-vomiting medications come in various forms. These include powders, tablets, capsules, syrups, suspensions, and gels. This variety of forms is designed to be easy to use for both adults and children.

Powders for diarrhea and vomiting can be in the form of dosed portions in bags (smecta, polyphepan) or simply in jars (polysorb, atoxil). Before use, they are diluted with water according to the instructions. Most of all on the pharmaceutical market are tablets for vomiting and diarrhea (ciprol, ciprovin, flaprocks, activated carbon, ofloxacin, phthalazole, nystatin, imodium, uzara, etc.).

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Folk remedies for vomiting and diarrhea

In addition to numerous drugs aimed at eliminating diarrhea and vomiting and sold in pharmacies, during the existence of mankind, many recipes have been collected with which people treated themselves. Through centuries of observation of the effect of individual herbs and fruits on the digestive organs, effective folk remedies for vomiting and diarrhea have come down to us. These are, first of all, astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory substances. A well-known and popular remedy is pomegranate. Its peel must be dried and crushed. A tablespoon of raw material is enough for a liter of boiling water. Let it brew for an hour and you can take a spoon three times a day before meals.

A few black peppercorns, potato starch, dried blueberries, oak bark, sage, St. John's wort, walnut partitions, marshmallow root - this is a short list of remedies that can stop the unpleasant process.

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Pharmacodynamics

All antidiarrheal drugs are divided into several groups depending on the principle of action. Their pharmacodynamics also depend on this:

• antimicrobial agents (ciprofloxacin, furazolidone, phthalazole, enterol, sulgin, nystatin), each of which has its own mechanisms aimed at destroying pathogenic organisms;
• enterosorbents (activated carbon, sorbex, smecta, enterosgel, atoxil, polysorb) bind toxic substances and remove them from the body;
• antiperistaltic agents (loperamide, imodium, uzara, loflatil) slow down intestinal peristalsis, thereby increasing the transit time of intestinal contents and reducing the urge to defecate;
• probiotics (lacidofil, enterol, subalin, mutaflor, linex) are made from living organisms, produce substances that resist pathogenic organisms, help normalize metabolic processes and digestion;
• other antidiarrheal agents, a special place among them is occupied by racecadotril - it triggers a mechanism that reduces the excess production of water in the intestines and electrolytes.

There are three types of antiemetics, depending on the effect on different links of nervous regulation: blocking serotonin (granisetron), dopamine (domperidone) receptors, dopamine and cholinergic receptors (thiethylperazine). If vomiting is accompanied by diarrhea, then we are talking about toxic vomiting caused by the accumulation of toxins or drugs. In this case, antiemetics are not recommended, because along with vomiting and feces, the body gets rid of harmful substances that have affected it. They are more appropriate if this condition is caused by diseases of the digestive system or taking certain therapeutic drugs. The decision to prescribe antiemetics can only be made by a doctor.

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Pharmacokinetics

Each of the described drugs has its own pharmacokinetics. When choosing one or another drug, you need to read the instructions to have an idea of how it behaves when it gets into our body. Antimicrobial drugs are divided into several groups:

• fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin) – have high bioavailability, half-life of 4-8 hours, excreted mainly by the kidneys;
• sulfonamides (phthalazole) – are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract slowly, concentrating maximally in the intestine;
• intestinal antiseptics (nifuroxazide, intetrix) – are absorbed mainly in the intestines and excreted with feces.

Enterosorbents are excreted from the body unchanged in the feces, but their long-term use disrupts the absorption of other microelements, including calcium.

Antiperistaltics – half of the dose is absorbed in the digestive tract, acts for 24 hours, and is excreted in urine and feces.

Probiotics are not absorbed from the intestinal lumen and do not enter the systemic bloodstream.

Pharmacokinetics of antiemetics by type of blockers:

• serotonin receptors - binding to plasma proteins is 65%, half-life is from 3 to 6 hours, excreted from the body in urine and feces;
• dopamine - bioavailability 80%, maximum concentration in blood plasma from half an hour to two, excreted through the kidneys in 3-5 hours;
• dopamine and cholinergic receptors – well absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract, reaches maximum concentration after 2-4 hours, half-life of renal excretion is 12 hours.

Each specific drug has its own pharmacokinetic characteristics, which can be found in the instructions.

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Dosing and administration

The average therapeutic dose of fluoroquinolones is 200-500 mg per day in one or two doses, washed down with plenty of water. The course of treatment is from one to two weeks. The method of administration and doses of sulfonamides depend on the pathogen (daily dose 1-6 g). Antimicrobial agents, such as nifuroxazide, are taken every 6 hours at 200 mg, other drugs in this group may have different doses, so it is imperative to follow the instructions.

Enterosorbents are taken between meals and washed down with plenty of water. Usually, you can take up to 3 tablets of activated carbon at a time, no more than 10 during the day. The recommended single dose of sorbex is 2-4 capsules up to 3 times a day.

Method of application of antiperistaltic agents: initially 2 capsules (Imodium), after each liquid bowel movement another capsule, but no more than 8 pieces per day; the first day of taking Uzar is 5 tablets, from the second day - one tablet every 3-6 hours.

There are many different names for probiotics, so we will list the most popular ones.

Lactobacilli: spazmolak – one capsule twice a day for a month; lactobacterin – one ampoule or 5 tablets twice a day for 2-3 weeks, washed down with milk or fermented milk products.

Other probiotics: Linex – 2 capsules three times a day until the condition improves; yogurt – 1-2 capsules during meals three times a day for a month; Biolact – one stick 2-3 times.

Remedies for vomiting and diarrhea for children

Vomiting and diarrhea in children can be caused not only by food poisoning, but also by such serious diagnoses as meningitis, pathologies of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal diseases, foreign objects entering the digestive tract, intestinal infection, allergies, teething. Therefore, taking responsibility for self-medication is a big risk for parents. It is best to consult a specialist who will take into account all the nuances of the symptoms: body temperature, the presence of pain, the consistency of feces, their smell, the cyclicity of vomiting, the nature of the vomit. Before the doctor establishes a diagnosis, only enterosorbents and paracetamol are allowed at high temperatures.

Anti-vomiting and anti-diarrhea medications used by doctors for children:

• antiemetics: cerucal, motilium, motilak;
• sorbents: activated carbon, sorbex, smecta, etherosgel, atoxil;
• antiviral drugs and antibiotics for intestinal infections: anaferon, arbidol, amoxicillin, amoxiclav, suprax;
• antihistamines, hormones for the treatment of allergies: tavegil, suprastin;
• antispasmodics: no-shpa, papaverine;
• rehydration drugs: glucosolan, rehydron;
• probiotics: linex, hilak forte;
• antacids, hydrochloric acid blockers for gastrointestinal pathology: alugastrin, gestide, losec.

It is essential to stick to a diet, provide the child with plenty of fluids, avoid fatty and fried foods, rice, oatmeal, and low-fat soups are desirable.

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Remedies for diarrhea and vomiting in adults

Adults are no less susceptible to various intestinal infections than children. This is confirmed by about a dozen deaths from botulism that occurred in the summer of this year. The source of the disease was dried fish, which men love to eat with beer. But if the symptoms of poisoning are not so rapid and severe, are not accompanied by high temperature, fever, respiratory failure, clouding of consciousness, then adults can use remedies for diarrhea and vomiting, adhering to the following scheme:

• sorbents to remove toxins (polyphepan, smecta, activated carbon, sorbex), separating their intake by 2 hours from other medications;
• drugs that reduce the production of intestinal mucus (diclofenac, salazopiradizine);
• if there is a fever, antipyretic drugs (ibuprofen, paracetamol, nimesil, analgin);
• increase the amount of liquid consumed to avoid dehydration, take a solution of rehydron, galactin. A homemade saline solution for vomiting and diarrhea is suitable (a teaspoon of salt and 5 spoons of sugar per liter of boiled water);
• antidiarrheal drugs (imodium, loperamide);
• dietary food (puree soups, rice, other porridges with water);
• enzyme preparations (festal, mezim, creon, solizim);
• if necessary, antibiotics and antiviral drugs only as prescribed by a doctor;
• infusions of medicinal herbs (chamomile, St. John's wort, oak bark, bird cherry fruits).

Syrups for vomiting and diarrhea

In addition to the tablet form of drugs, there are others that have become very popular, especially among children due to their pleasant taste - these are syrups and suspensions. Another advantage of this form is the ability to manipulate the dosage. An example of a syrup used in case of vomiting and diarrhea as an antispasmodic and a drug that blocks the production of hydrochloric acid is no-spazm. It is prescribed to children under 6 years old. A child under 3 months is given 1 ml every 6-8 hours, up to 6 months 1-2 ml with the same frequency, up to a year - 2 ml, up to 2 years - a teaspoon of the drug with an interval of 6-8 hours, up to 6 years - 2 spoons with the same interval.

Suspensions for vomiting and diarrhea

Enterofuril, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, can be classified as a suspension for vomiting and diarrhea. Before use, it is shaken and measured out using a 5 ml measuring spoon: for children from one to six months - half a spoon (2.5 ml) 2-3 times a day, for the next age category up to 2 years - the same amount, but more often 3-4 times, up to 7 years - a spoon 3 times a day, older children and adults - also 5 ml 3-4 times a day. The duration of therapy is no more than a week. Unfortunately, flavors and flavor additives in this form of medicine can cause a side effect - an allergy - this is a disadvantage of suspensions. Other drugs in suspension are ersefuril, enterofuril, motilium.

Gels for vomiting and diarrhea

Another modern medicinal form is gels or pastes. The following gels for vomiting and diarrhea are well-known and popular among patients: enterosgel and phosphalugel. To take the gel, squeeze it into a spoon and wash it down with plenty of water.

Enterosgel - its spectrum of action is very wide. These include liver diseases, gastrointestinal tract, allergies, intoxications, skin pathologies, intestinal dysbacteriosis, diarrhea. Therapy lasts from a week to two. Enterosgel is diluted in time with food or other medications. The daily dose for adults is 45 g in three doses, for children it depends on age: up to 3 years - 5 g twice a day, 3-5 years - three times, 5-14 years - 10 g 3 times a day.

Use for vomiting and diarrhea. during pregnancy

Not all drugs aimed at combating diarrhea can be used during pregnancy. Thus, fluoroquinolones are not prescribed during this period, but the instructions for sulfaniloides, antifungal drugs, intestinal antiseptics, enterosorbents do not contain such a warning. Certain antiperistaltic drugs are not recommended in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy or call for caution when using them. In any case, when resorting to taking this or that drug during pregnancy, you must first study the instructions.

Contraindications

Almost all anti-vomiting and anti-diarrhea medications have contraindications for use, as indicated in the instructions. Thus, fluoroquinolones are not prescribed during pregnancy and breastfeeding, atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels, liver and kidney failure, individual intolerance to the components of the drug. Some of them are not indicated for the treatment of children under 16 years of age. Sulfonamides are contraindicated in acute hepatitis, Graves' disease, and circulatory system pathologies. Some intestinal antiseptics are not recommended for pregnant women (Intetrix) or only if the potential benefit exceeds the risk of complications (Lekor).

Enterosorbents are prohibited in case of ulcers of the digestive organs and gastrointestinal bleeding.

Drugs that inhibit intestinal peristalsis (loperamide) are contraindicated for children under 5 years of age, pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy, nursing mothers, and patients with ulcerative and pseudomembranous colitis.

Probiotics are not used in case of individual intolerance.

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Side effects for vomiting and diarrhea.

Antimicrobial agents may cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, allergy, increased activity of liver function tests, hypovitaminosis of group B (sulfonamides), development of hepatitis (intestinal antiseptics). Enterosorbents with prolonged use can cause constipation. Against the background of taking antiperistaltic agents, increased fatigue, insomnia, abdominal discomfort, and rarely intestinal obstruction may occur.

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Overdose

An overdose of any of the above drugs will result in side effects, which the instructions warn about. Drugs containing lactose and sucrose, in case of overdose, can be dangerous for patients with diabetes due to a jump in blood sugar levels.

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Interactions with other drugs

Studying the interaction of drugs for the treatment of vomiting and diarrhea with other drugs, we came to the conclusion that sorbents reduce the effectiveness of treatment with drugs, removing drug components along with toxins. Simultaneous use of antacids to neutralize gastric hydrochloric acid with fluoroquinolones reduces the effect of the latter. Sulfanilamides enhance the effect of antidiabetic, anticonvulsant drugs, and reduce the effectiveness of estrogen-containing oral contraceptives. Antihistamines potentiate the effect of tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and sedatives. Antibiotics have a detrimental effect on probiotics.

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Storage conditions

Any medicinal forms aimed at treating vomiting and diarrhea, like other medications, require an air temperature not exceeding +25 ⁰ C, no moisture and bright light. Probiotic capsules with live microorganisms are stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of +4 ⁰ C.

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Shelf life

The maximum shelf life of drugs used to treat vomiting and diarrhea is 4 years (nifuroxazide, furazolidone), most others are stored for 2 years.

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