Generic name: Loperamid
Brand names: Imodium, Lodcap, Loppa, Lupidum, Roko, Diarr-Eze, Kaopectate II, Loperacap, Loperamida, Maalox Anti-Diarrheal, Pepto Diarrhea Control
Pharmacological action:
Imodium by binding with opioid receptors of the intestinal wall (stimulation of choline-and adrenergic neurons through guanine nucleotides) decreases the tone and motility of smooth muscles of the intestine (due to inhibition of the release of acetylcholine and Pg). Slows the peristalsis and increases the time of passage of intestinal contents. Augments the tone of the anal sphincter, decreases the frequency of the urge to defecate. The action develops quickly and lasts for 4-6 hours.
Indications:
Imodium is prescribed to adults and children over 5 years with violations of the stool, in particular:
- the drug is taken for symptomatic therapy of acute and chronic diarrhea of various origins (except for diarrhea caused by taking antimicrobials)
- Imodium is prescribed to patients with ileostomy to decrease the frequency and normalization of consistency of the stool
How to take the drug?
The course of treatment and a dose is selected by a doctor individually for each patient depending on the nature of the disease. In acute and chronic diarrhea the starting dose for adults is 2 capsules of the drug, for children older than 5 years – 1 capsule. The dose for maintenance therapy is choosed so, that the stool frequency has to be 1-2 times a day. Usually, the maintenance dose ranges from 1 to 6 capsules per day. The maximum daily dose for adults is 8 capsules, for children over 5 years – 3 capsules.
Side effects:
The medicine is generally well tolerated by patients, however, may develop such adverse reactions:
- From the side of the central nervous system: headache, fatigue, dizziness, violation of sleep and wakefulness
- From the part of the gastrointestinal tract: flatulence, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, defecation violations, nausea, ileus, vomiting, dry mouth
- Allergic reactions: itching, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, urticaria, toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme
Other side effects:
- urinary retention.
If you have any side effects, youshould stop taking the drug and consult your doctor.
Contraindications:
Individual hypersensitivity to the medicine’s components.
The medicine is not prescribed to patients with these diseases:
- Acute dysentery (especially if there are clots of blood in the faeces and the patient has the increased body temperature)
- Acute ulcerative colitis
- Pseudomembranous colitis, which is caused by taking antibiotics
- Bacterial enterocolitis
- Paralytic ileus and other diseases which are accompanied by violation of intestinal peristalsis
- Constipation
- A medicine is not given to patients with lactose intolerance
Pregnancy and breastfeeding:
The drug does not make the teratogenic, mutagenic and embryotoxic influence on the fetus. While pregnancy, the meidcine is prescribed in cases where the expected benefit to the mother outweighs the potential risk to the fetus. The drug is not appointed during breastfeeding.
Interaction with other drugs:
In joint use of the medicine with inhibitors of P-glycoproteins there is the rising of plasma concentrations of loperamide in 2-3 times, however, in the clinical picture of these changes there isn’t any influence.
Storage:
To store in dark place at a temperature not exceeding 25 ° C.
Warning: Before taking the drug you need to consult your doctor.
He knows everything about medications – to which pharmacological group the drug belongs, what components are included in its composition, how it differs from its analogs, what indications, contraindications, and side effects remedy has. John is a real pro in his field, so he knows all these subtleties and wants to tell you about them.