Diarrhea
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- Diarrhea Overview
- Diarrhea Causes
- Diarrhea Symptoms
- When to Seek Medical Care
- Exams and Tests
- Diarrhea Treatment
- Self-Care at Home
- Medical Treatment
- Medications
- Other Therapy
- Next Steps
- Follow-up
- Prevention
- Outlook
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
- Viewer Comments: Diarrhea - Effective Treatments
Diarrhea: Food Poisoning or Infection?
Medical Author: Jay W. Marks, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr, FACP,
FACR
Food poisoning is a general term that refers to gastrointestinal illnesses
(usually diarrhea and/or
vomiting) caused by food that is contaminated with
bacteria, parasites, viruses, or toxic substances. The actual cause of most individual
episodes of food poisoning,
however,
never is pursued (for example, a culture is not done) since most episodes are mild
or moderate in severity and are over in a few hours to a few days. In fact, the
diagnosis of food poisoning usually is made only
presumptively, based on the patient's symptoms and the circumstances. Even in
outbreaks of suspected food poisoning that involve many people, when careful studies
are done, a specific cause is found no more than half of the time.
Diarrhea Overview
Diarrhea is the frequent passage of loose, watery, soft stools with or without abdominal bloating, pressure, and cramps commonly referred to as gas. Diarrhea can come on suddenly, run its course, and be helped with home care to prevent complications such as dehydration.
- Diarrhea is one of the most common illnesses in all
age groups and is second only to the
common cold as a cause of lost days of work or school. It is estimated that there are almost
218 million cases of acute diarrhea per year in adults in the US.
- In the United States, each child will have had seven to 15 episodes of
diarrhea by age five.
- People of all ages can suffer from diarrhea, and the average adult has a
episode of acute diarrhea approximately four times per year.
- In the United States, each child will have had seven to 15 episodes of
diarrhea by age five.
- Diarrhea and related complications can cause severe illness. The most significant cause of severe illness is loss of water and salts (electrolytes). In diarrhea, fluid passes out of the body before it can be absorbed in the intestines. When the ability to drink fluids fast enough to compensate for the water lost with diarrhea is impaired, dehydration can result. Most deaths from diarrhea occur in the very young and the elderly, whose health may be put at risk from a moderate amount of dehydration.
- Diarrhea can be further defined in the following ways:
- chronic diarrhea is the presence of loose or liquid stools for over two
weeks;
- acute enteritis is inflammation
of the intestine;
- gastroenteritis is diarrhea associated with
nausea and vomiting; or
- dysentery is diarrhea that contains blood, pus, or mucus.
- chronic diarrhea is the presence of loose or liquid stools for over two
weeks;
Next: Diarrhea Causes »
Viewer Comments & Reviews
Diarrhea - Effective Treatments
What kinds of treatments have been effective for your diarrhea?
Important Safety Information
- KAPIDEX may not be right for everyone. You should not take KAPIDEX if you are allergic to KAPIDEX or any of its ingredients. Severe allergic reactions have been reported.
- Symptom relief does not rule out other serious stomach conditions.
- The most common side effects of KAPIDEX were diarrhea (4.8%), stomach pain (4.0%), nausea (2.9%), common cold (1.9%), vomiting (1.6%), and gas (1.6%). KAPIDEX and certain other medicines can affect each other. Before taking KAPIDEX, tell your doctor if you are taking ampicillin, atazanavir, digoxin, iron, ketoconazole, or tacrolimus. If you are taking KAPIDEX with warfarin, you may need to be monitored because serious risks could occur.
Uses of KAPIDEX
- Persistent heartburn two or more days a week, despite treatment and diet changes, could be acid reflux disease (ARD). Prescription KAPIDEX capsules are used in adults to treat heartburn related to ARD, to heal acid-related damage to the lining of the esophagus (called erosive esophagitis or EE), and to stop EE from coming back. Individual results may vary. Most damage (erosions) heals in 4–8 weeks.
Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. Please see full Prescribing Information for KAPIDEX.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
KAPIDEX™ is a trademark of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., and is used under license by Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
LPD-00767
GI Disorders
Get the latest treatment options.
From WebMD
Digestive Disorders Resources
- Slideshow: Reflux Risk and Relief
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Diarrhea
Low Potassium Overview
Potassium is a mineral (electrolyte) in the body. Almost 98% of potassium is found inside the cells. Small changes in the level of potassium that is present outside the cells can have severe effects on the heart, nerves, and muscles.
Potassium is important to maintain several bodily functions:
- Muscles need potassium to contract.
- The heart muscle needs potassium to beat properly and regulate blood pressure.
The kidney is the main organ that controls the balance of potassium. It removes excess potassium into the urine.
When potassium levels are low (hypokalemia), you can become weak as cellular processes are impaired.
- The normal potassium level is 3.5-5.0 mEq/L (this is a measure used to evaluate the level). Low potassium is defined as a potassium level below 3.5 mEq/L.
- Almost one out of five people hospitalized in the U...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine
Diarrhea »
Acute diarrhea is defined as the abrupt onset of abnormally high fluid content in the stool (more than the normal value of approximately 10 mL/kg/d).
