Word parts
What it means
Drugs that slow the movement of the gut or change how it handles fluid. Loperamide and diphenoxylate with atropine slow the bowel; bismuth subsalicylate coats the gut and has mild antibacterial action. They treat the symptom, not the cause.
For the nurse
Do not give them for diarrhea with fever or bloody stools, or with C. difficilesee dif-uh-SEELClostridioides difficile, a spore-forming bacterium that can infect the colon (the large intestine).Full entry or other infections where the body needs to clear the germ, unless the provider orders it. Replace fluids and electrolytes, and stop the drug if the belly swells or bowel sounds stop. Bismuth turns stools and the tongue black.
At a glance
| Drug class | antidiarrheal |
|---|---|
| Spanish | antidiarreico |
| Also written | antidiarrheals |
Related terms
C. difficile
Clostridioides difficile, a spore-forming bacterium that can infect the colon (the large intestine).
dehydration
A state in which the body has lost more water than it has taken in.
diarrhea
Loose or watery stools, usually three or more times a day or more often than normal for the person.
laxative
A drug that loosens stool or helps the bowels move, used to treat or prevent constipation.