Reaction to Drugs
Antibiotics, drugs to lower blood pressure, chemotherapy, and antacids containing magnesium can cause diarrhea. The list of drugs that can cause diarrhea, for the mechanism of action with which they act or as a side effect, is particularly rich. According to the study “Drug-induced diarrhea [2], “among the drugs, over 700 were involved in the onset of diarrhea, which, in this case, is defined as iatrogenic. Among the most commonly used drugs responsible for this disorder are antibiotics, especially if broad-spectrum. These molecules, used for bacterial infections, also destroy bacteria in the large intestine’s microbial flora, increasing the likelihood that pathogenic microorganisms responsible for diarrhea will proliferate. This side effect can be partially prevented by associating the antimicrobial drug with a specific probiotic treatment.
Some drugs for weight loss, like acarbose, reduce the absorption of carbohydrates and dietary fats, causing diarrhea. In addition to laxatives, antacids for the stomach (magnesium, pump inhibitors such as omeprazole and pantoprazole), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Fans-aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.), and antineoplastic used in anticancer therapies can cause the same disorder. Drugs used in cardiology can also cause diarrhea. In particular, the antihypertensive Ace inhibitors (quinapril) and beta-blockers (propranolol) should be considered. Among the drugs active in the central nervous system that cause diarrhea are anxiolytics (benzodiazepines such as alprazolam) and antidepressants (fluoxetine).