Medicines that can cause diarrhea
Many medicines can cause diarrhea, including:
- Antibiotics, such as ampicillin, amoxicillin, clindamycin, tetracycline, and cephalosporins. Diarrhea is of particular concern if you have recently been hospitalized and received intravenous (IV) antibiotics.
- Antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac) or sertraline (Zoloft).
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as captopril (Capoten) or enalapril (Vasotec).
- Antacids containing magnesium.
- Colchicine.
- Corticosteroid treatment, such as prednisone.
- Digoxin.
- Diuretics, such as furosemide or thiazides.
- Laxatives, such as Correctol, Dulcolax, Ex-Lax, or Feen-a-Mint.
- Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection.
- Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy).
- Metformin.
- Propranolol, such as Inderal.
- Radiation therapy.
- Quinidine, such as Cardioquin or Quin-Release.
- Theophylline, such as Theo-24.
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 medicine, such as a toxic reaction. Diarrhea is an early sign of toxicity for some medicines, including lithium (such as Eskalith or Lithobid) and digoxin (Lanoxin).
If you think a medicine is causing diarrhea, contact the health professional who prescribed it. The dosage may need to be changed, or the medicine may need to be stopped.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: April 28, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology | |
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