Medications that can cause diarrhea
Many medications can cause diarrhea, including:
- Laxatives, such as Correctol, Ex-Lax, Feen-a-Mint, and Dulcolax.
- Antibiotics, such as ampicillin, amoxicillin, clindamycin, and tetracycline. Diarrhea is of particular concern if you have recently been hospitalized and received intravenous (IV) antibiotics.
- Antacids containing magnesium.
- Colchicine.
- Propanolol, such as Inderal.
- Quinidine, such as Quinate or Biquin Durules.
- Theophylline, such as Theo-Dur, Uniphyl, or Slobid.
- Diuretics, such as furosemide or thiazides.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as captopril (Capoten) or enalapril (Vasotec).
- Antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Alti-Fluoxetine and Apo-Fluoxetine) or sertraline (Apo-Sertraline or Novo-Sertraline).
Many antibiotics cause diarrhea. Usually the diarrhea is mild and will clear up without treatment. A more serious type of diarrhea caused by the bacteria Clostridium difficile may occur while taking the antibiotic or shortly after finishing the antibiotic.
Diarrhea may be a sign of serious reaction to a medication, such as a toxic reaction. Diarrhea is an early sign of toxicity for some medications, including lithium (such as Carbolith or Lithane) and digoxin (Lanoxin).
If you think a medication is causing diarrhea, contact the health professional who prescribed it. The dosage may need to be changed, or the medication may need to be stopped.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: September 5, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology | |
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