Loperamide hydrochloride

Description and Brand Names Drug information provided by: US Brand Name • Diamode • Imodium • Imodium A-D • Imogen • Imotil • Imperim • Kaodene A-D • Kao-Paverin Caps Descriptions Loperamide is used to control and relieve the symptoms of acute diarrhea. It is also used to treat chronic diarrhea in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Loperamide helps stop diarrhea by slowing down the movements of the intestines. Loperamide is also used to decrease the amount of drainage in patients who have ileostomies. Loperamide capsules are available over-the counter or with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms: • Capsule, Liquid Filled • Solution • Tablet • Capsule • Suspension • Liquid

Usual Adult Dose for: • • Usual Pediatric Dose for: • Additional dosage information: • • • • • Usual Adult Dose for Diarrhea - Acute 4 mg orally after the first loose stool, then 2 mg orally after each unformed stool Maximum dose: 16 mg per day Comments: • Clinical improvement is usually seen within 48 hours. Use(s): Control and symptomatic relief of acute nonspecific diarrhea Usual Adult Dose for Diarrhea - Chronic 4 mg orally after the first loose stool, then 2 mg orally after each unformed stool until diarrhea is controlled Maximum dose: 16 mg per day Comments: • Clinical improvement is usually seen within 48 hours. • After diarrhea is controlled, reduce dose to meet individual requirements • When optimal daily dose has been established, this dose may be given as a single dose or in divided doses. • The average maintenance dose in clinical trials was 4 to 8 mg daily. • If no clinical improvement is seen with 16 mg per day after at least 10 days, symptoms are unlikely to be controlled by further administration. • Administration may be continued if diarrhea cannot be adequately controlled with diet or specific treatment. Use(s): Control and symptomatic relief of chronic diarrhea associated with inflammatory bowel disease. Usual Pediatric Dose for Diarrhea - Acute 2 to 5 years (13 to 20 kg): First day dosage schedule: 1 mg orally 3 times a day (3 mg total daily dose) Subsequent daily dosage: 1 mg only after a loose stool, not to exceed 3 mg/day 6 to 8 years (20 to 30 kg): ...

Imodium is an over-the-counter (OTC) medication that’s used to relieve diarrhea. It may cause mild side effects in some people. You can take Imodium as soon as you experience symptoms. The active ingredient in Imodium is loperamide. It works by making the muscles in your intestines contract more slowly, resulting in firmer stools. If you follow the package instructions, Imodium poses a low risk of side effects. When side effects do occur, they tend to be mild. Keep reading to learn what to expect when taking Imodium and how to take it safely. The muscles in your gastrointestinal tract contract and release at regular intervals. This helps move the food you eat through your digestive system. During this process, the intestines absorb water and nutrients. With Having diarrhea makes it harder for your intestines to absorb fluids and nutrients such as Imodium contains loperamide, a drug that slows down muscle contractions in the gut. This in turn slows the movement of food through your digestive tract so the bowel can absorb the fluids and nutrients your body needs, including electrolytes. After you start taking Imodium, your bowel movements should be smaller, more solid, and less frequent. Imodium is available as a caplet, soft gel, and liquid. All three types of Imodium are taken by mouth. You shouldn’t use Imodium for more than 2 days in a row. A prescription-strength Imodium caplet is available for long-term use. It’s usually prescribed to treat diarrhea caused by a chronic...

Loperamide: 7 things you should know Medically reviewed by • • • • • • • 1. How it works • Loperamide is used to treat diarrhea or loose stools. • Loperamide works on mu-opioid receptors in the gut wall to slow down the movement of the gut. This slows the contractions of the intestine, allowing more water to be absorbed back into the body through the intestinal wall, this makes the stool less watery and decreases the number of bowel movements. Loperamide does not affect the brain and central nervous system. Loperamide also suppresses the gastrocolic reflex and may directly inhibit fluid and electrolyte secretion or stimulate salt and water absorption. • Loperamide belongs to the class of medicines known as antidiarrheals. 2. Upsides • Loperamide is used to treat diarrhea. • Loperamide may also be used in people who have had an ileostomy (a surgical operation where part of the bowel is removed and the cut end diverted to the surface of the abdomen) to reduce the amount of bowel discharge. • Loperamide decreases the number of bowel movements and makes the stool less watery. • Loperamide is long-acting. • Tolerance to the antidiarrheal effect of loperamide has not been observed. • Unlikely to cause drowsiness. • Loperamide is available as a generic. 3. Downsides If you are between the ages of 18 and 60, take no other medication or have no other medical conditions, side effects you are more likely to experience include: • Constipation (this may be a sign that too much loperami...

IMODIUM® was developed by Dr. Janssen and launched in 1973. Dr. Janssen was the first man to deliver the values that IMODIUM® is known for today: delivering effective relief to ease the uncomfortable disruptions for people suffering from diarrhea. And we’ve been doing just that for over 40 years globally. What Is IMODIUM® And How Does It Work? IMODIUM® is an effective over-the-counter relief option for diarrheal symptoms, but choosing the diarrhea treatment that’s right for you means first understanding what is going on inside of your body. What Happens In Your Digestive System When You Get Diarrhea? When your digestive system is in its normal rhythm, food and fluids pass from the stomach into the small intestine. Food is broken down and nutrients are absorbed along with most of the fluid. The remaining waste and some water pass into the colon (large intestine) where more water is absorbed. Finally, the waste is passed in the form of solid stools. When the cells in your small intestine or colon are irritated by bacteria, viruses, or inflammation, your intestines may become overactive. This causes fluids and nutrients to pass through the colon too quickly, which means that less fluid gets absorbed by the body. The result is loose or watery stools, commonly known as 1 . Loperamide Hydrochloride Mechanism Of Action 2. When loperamide binds this receptor, this causes the gut to contract less and slows down the time it takes for fluids and food to move through the intestines. T...

Swallow the capsule whole. Do not crush, break, or chew it. Drink plenty of water while using this medicine. Dosing The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. • For acute diarrhea: • For oral dosage form (capsules): • Adults and children 13 years of age and older—At first, 4 milligrams (mg) (2 capsules) after the first loose bowel movement, then 2 mg (1 capsule) after each loose bowel movement after the first dose has been taken. However, dose is usually not more than 16 mg (8 capsules). • Children 8 to 12 years of age weighing more than 30 kilograms (kg)—2 mg (1 capsule) 3 times a day. • Children 6 to 8 years of age weighing 20 to 30 kg—2 mg (1 capsule) 2 times a day. • Children 2 to 5 years of age weighing 20 kg or less—Use the oral solution. • Children younger than 2 years of age—Use is not recommended. • For oral dosage form (oral solution): • Children 8 to 12 years of age weighing more than 30 kilograms (kg)—2 teaspoonfuls (2 mg) 3 times a day. • Children 6 to 8 yea...

Allergies Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Pediatric Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of loperamide in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established. This medicine should not be used in children younger than 2 years of age. Geriatric Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of loperamide in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have heart rhythm problems, which may require caution in patients receiving loperamide. Breastfeeding There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Drug Interactions Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional kn...