Liquid adult chair - is not a disease, but one of the signs of various pathological processes. Frequent bowel movements with the release diluted and sometimes copious feces, called diarrhea or diarrhea. Diarrhea can carry infectious and non-infectious in nature.

Causes of watery stools in adults and types of diarrhea

Normally, most people have a chair is one - two times a day, the average daily stool weight - 100-200 g, its water content - 60-80%. When diarrhea stool is more than two times a day, daily stool number exceeds 200 g, a water content is increased to 95%.

Diarrhea in adults can occur in diseases of the intestine, as well as the involvement of other organs and systems, involving violation of the secretory and motor function of the intestine.

For diarrhea, occur in diseases of the intestine, include:

• infectious diarrhea caused by bacteria (dysentery, salmonella), viruses (rotavirus), worms, protozoa, fungi;
• diarrhea while nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease - chronic enteritis, colitis, Crohn's disease, and so on;
• diarrhea in intestinal tumors (mainly colon);
• diarrhea or dyskinetic neurogenic associated with neuro-psychiatric state of the patient;
• diarrhea of ​​congenital and genetic enzimopaty (lack or excess of certain digestive enzymes);
• Post-resection diarrhea - after resection of the bowel;
• toxic diarrhea - in cases of poisoning by salts of heavy metals, poisonous mushrooms, as well as poisoning the body's own metabolism products (for example, in uremia which develops with severe kidney disease);
• diarrhea medication - called broad-spectrum antibiotics, iron preparations, digitalis and other;
• allergic diarrhea - developing food allergies.

For diarrhea, emerging diseases of other organs and systems include:

• gastrogennye diarrhea, resulting in gastritis with secretory insufficiency after gastrectomy, gastric cancer;
• pancreatogenic diarrhea - with pancreatitis, pancreatic tumors Diabetes and pancreas - the things you need to know , Cystic fibrosis Cystic fibrosis: early diagnosis - the key to recovery ;
• gepatogennye diarrhea - with hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver;
• endocrine diarrhea - with adrenal insufficiency, increased thyroid function The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones , Diabetes mellitus;
• metabolic diarrhea - if gipovitaminoze, severe metabolic diseases of the kidneys (amyloidosis);
• diarrhea in systemic diseases, such as scleroderma.

Features for different diseases

Loose stools may be very different in nature. For example, loose, watery stools in adults is often a sign of infectious diarrhea or intestinal infections. Such diarrhea often leads to dehydration. Liquid green chair in the adult as is typical for intestinal infections.

Continuing diarrhea in adults is most common in non-specific inflammatory bowel disease Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Symptoms and Treatment   - Chronic enteritis, colitis, Crohn's disease, as well as after bowel resection or against other diseases of the digestive system. Black stools at the adult says that there is bleeding from the upper and middle parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

Liquid light chair of an adult can be a sign of early lesions of the small bowel. This chair is usually infrequent (up to three times a day), but abundant, clay type. Liquid yellow chair in an adult is characteristic of the final defeat of the small intestine. The chair is thus 6-8 times a day, watery, frothy.

Symptoms suggestive of a tumor of the large intestine, is the emergence in middle-aged and elderly unreasonable diarrhea lasting more than two weeks. In the feces often blood.

Treatment of liquid stool in adults

Treatment of diarrhea in adults depends on the cause of its occurrence. After conducting a comprehensive examination of the patient is assigned the necessary treatment, appropriate diagnosis.

When loss of body fluids and salts of these losses necessarily replenished by intravenous drip of large quantities of medicinal solutions. In the treatment of infectious diarrhea prescribe antibiotic therapy. In the complex treatment of non-infectious diarrhea using enzyme preparations, adsorbents, drugs reducing intestinal motility.

If diarrhea is a consequence of the disease other body treats the underlying disease.

Loose stools in adults requires a careful examination of the patient.

Galina Romanenko

Imodium - a drug that inhibits motor activity (peristalsis) of the intestine and increases the tone of the anal sphincter (the circular muscles located in the anus). It is used for acute and chronic diarrhea of ​​various origins. Available as Imodium Plus - a drug that has a more complicated structure and eliminates the unpleasant symptoms that accompany diarrhea.

The mechanism of action Imodium

Imodium (active substance - loperamide) - a drug that eliminates the symptoms of diarrhea (diarrhea). The manufacturer - the pharmaceutical company Janssen-Cilag NV (Belgium) produces Imodium in the following dosage forms:

• Imodium capsules for oral administration of 2 mg:
• lingual tablet (for sucking in the mouth) Imodium 2 mg;
• Imodium solution for the reception inside the bottles of 100 ml (5 ml of solution contains 1 mg of loperamide).

Furthermore, the drug is released Imodium plus chewable tablets. Each tablet contains 2 mg of loperamide and 125 mg of simethicone.

The mechanism of action of loperamide is associated with the suppression of the release in the intestinal wall of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which conveys nervous impulses to smooth muscles of intestine. The result is sharply reduced intestinal motility and stool begin to move on it for a long time during which the liquid is absorbed from the intestine is partially recycled. In addition, loperamide increases the tone of the anal sphincter, suppressing thus fecal incontinence and mandatory (imperative) urge to defecate, which are always accompanied by diarrhea. All this leads to a decrease in the loss of fluids and salts for diarrhea, ie reduces the risk of dehydration. Loperamide is rapidly absorbed in the intestine and acts for six hours.

Included in the Imodium plus simethicone is a surfactant that inhibits the adverse symptoms of diarrhea. It has defoaming properties, so removes the unpleasant symptoms such as bloating and related intestinal colic.

Indications and contraindications

Imodium is prescribed for acute and chronic diarrhea of ​​non-infectious origin. In addition, Imodium prescribed to patients with iliostoma. Ileostomy - an artificial opening in the abdominal wall, which is displayed in the small intestine. Ileostomy is superimposed with severe diseases of the intestine, when it ceases to function. Through a hole in the abdominal wall appears cal. The patient can not self-regulate this process, in order to make a regular chair prescribed Imodium.

Imodium is contraindicated in acute intestinal infections Acute intestinal infections - the most common disease in the autumn and summer , Ileus, diverticulosis intestine (protrusion of its walls in the form of pockets - diverticula), erosive and ulcerative lesions of the intestine, in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, while feeding the baby Breastfeeding - a personal choice   feeding, children up to six years, and in the event of patient hypersensitivity to the components of this drug.

Manufacturers are also encouraged to nominate Imodium with caution in patients with severe liver disease, accompanied by a decrease in the function of the body.

Side effects and possible overdose

If you apply the Imodium prescribed by a doctor, then it is usually well tolerated. Problems usually begin when the drug is taken alone in intestinal infections. However, sometimes the correct application IRDP may develop side effects:

• from the gastrointestinal tract - nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, tingling tongue (when receiving lozenge), constipation, bloating (flatulence), cramps in the intestines, intestinal obstruction;
• of the central and peripheral nervous system - drowsiness, dizziness, decreased performance;
• from metabolism - decrease in circulating blood volume and reducing its content of salts;
• It is also possible - urinary retention and allergic reactions such as itchy skin rashes.

Overdose Imodium Imodium - for the treatment of diarrhea   shown inhibition of the central nervous system, which manifests itself in the form of drowsiness, lethargy, incoordination, constriction of the pupils, increased muscle tone, disorders of the respiratory, intestinal obstruction. Especially difficult is transferred Imodium overdose children.

If you suspect an overdose of Imodium carry out gastric lavage and activated charcoal appointed interior Activated carbon - old but indispensable . Imodium antidote is naloxone. When violations of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems of the patient hospitalized in the intensive care unit and carry out artificial respiration.

Imodium is not absolutely safe drug, so it is best to take on prescription.

Galina Romanenko