Based on available data, an estimated 60 to 70 million Americans have some form of gastrointestinal sickness each year; these illnesses account for around 10% of all deaths in the country. Both acute and chronic disorders are included in the broad category of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. Dyspepsia is an acute illness affecting the upper gastrointestinal tract characterized by persistent pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen. It manifests as symptoms including heartburn, nausea, vomiting, bloating, and discomfort in the stomach.
Several drugs are used to treat dyspepsia, depending on the condition’s symptoms and potential causes. A chronic inflammatory condition that can affect any region of the gastrointestinal system is Crohn’s disease. While there isn’t a cure for the illness, there are a number of ways to manage symptoms and avoid relapses. These two instances demonstrate the need for a broad spectrum of drugs with distinct modes of action to treat diverse GI illnesses.
A variety of pharmacological types are referred to as “gastrointestinal medicines” and are used to treat gastrointestinal disorders. Over-the-counter medications are a simple and quick way to treat mild to moderate digestive issues. Antacids and medications like omeprazole and ranitidine can be used to treat conditions like acid reflux and indigestion. Hyoscine or mebeverine can help with irritable bowel disease symptoms. Consult your physician for guidance on the best medications. Make an appointment to see a medical professional if any gastrointestinal problem worsens or continues. Medication for gastrointestinal disorders is prescribed with a prescription for more severe illnesses including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, including mesalamine and prednisolone.
Drugs for Digestive System Conditions
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Prescription and over-the-counter medications are used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. These stomach medications can be categorized according to how they are used, for example, as antiemetic medications, laxatives, antidiarrheal medications, pharmaceuticals for irritable bowel syndrome, acid peptic illness, inflammatory bowel disease, and so on. Rarely do drugs used to treat digestive problems harm the liver.
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Bulk-forming agents, bile acid resins, bismuth, inhibitors of intestinal motility, hygroscopic agents, non-absorbed antibiotics, and hormones are examples of antidiarrheal agents.
Among the agents that form bulk are methylcellulose
Among the hydrophobic agents are kaolin and pectin.
Colestipol, cholestyramine, and colesevelam are bile acid resins.
Opioids like loperamide and diphenoxylate are examples of substances that inhibit intestinal motility.
Rifaximin and rifamycin are two antibiotics that are used to treat traveler’s diarrhea.
Some hormones that have the ability to prevent diarrhea are somatostatin and octreotide.
Most antidiarrheal agents are active in the small intestine and colon and are not absorbed. Antiemetics are a group of medications that acts in a different pathway that regulates nausea and vomiting. These include anticholinergic agents, antihistamines, serotonin type 3 receptor blockers, phenothiazines, cannabinoid receptor agonists, and centrally acting benzamides.
Acid peptic disease or antiulcer agents include:
- Antacids
- proton pump inhibitors- Famotidine, ranitidine, cimetidine, nizatidine
- histamine type 2 receptor blocker- esomeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, omeprazole, rabeprazole, Dexlansoprazole.
Laxatives or agents for constipation include bulk-forming agents, stool wetting agents, osmotic agents, nonspecific stimulants, prokinetic agents, and agents that increase fluid secretion. Many of these treatment options are considered particularly hepatotoxic. Naloxegol and naldemedine are opioid antagonists used to treat constipation associated with opioid use.
Inflammatory bowel disease includes several disorders, most commonly Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. Medications can be classified as immunosuppressive drugs, 5-aminosalicylic acid-based agents, corticosteroids, antibiotics, and others.
- 5-amino acid derivatives-Mesalamine, balsalazide, sulfasalazine, olsalazine
- Immunosuppressive agents- methotrexate, azathioprine, mercaptopurine
- Tumor necrosis factor antagonists- certolozumab, infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab
- Others- vedolizumab, natalizumab, metronidazole
A frequent condition that causes diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, and bloating is irritable bowel syndrome. Antidiarrheal medications, constipation medications, prokinetic agents, analgesics, and antispasmodics are frequently used in treatment. Medication designed especially for irritable bowel syndrome acts on hormones or receptors in the gastrointestinal tract. Alosetron, plecanatide, linaclotide, lubiprostone, and tegaserod are a few of these. That being said, none of these drugs are especially hepatotoxic. Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea predominance can also be treated with eluxadoline. Guanylate cyclase X receptor antagonists like linaclotide and plecanatide are useful in the treatment of constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome and chronic idiopathic constipation. Prucalopride, tesaroserod, and
Cisapride is a member of the class of medications known as serotonin type 4 receptor agonists, which are useful in the treatment of idiopathic persistent constipation.
Patients with stomach issues are often prescribed multiple medications at the same time. During treatment, drug interactions are frequent and can occasionally lead to treatment failure or major side effects. One needs to take into account the risk of interactions not just with prescription drugs but also with over-the-counter (OTC) treatments.
