Loperamide Hydrochloride

Imagine, you wake up in the morning and realize that this is the day when you're supposed to go on that dream date with your crush-for-a-long-time! You leave the bed with languor in your limbs and butterflies in your stomach and start about preparing for the grand evening. Fast forward to noon - you're clutching your stomach and running to the bathroom, this being your fourth trip since morning! Alas! The only thing you have been doing since you woke up is frequenting the lavatory when you should be relaxing in a spa or a beauty parlor, getting ready to get that killer look for the evening! Well, life's like that - especially when an unexpected visitor in the form of diarrhea invades your peace, both physical and mental. As suddenly as diarrhea sets your schedule awry, it doesn't leave on its own accord and most often, people resort to taking generic or over the counter medications for temporary relief before consulting a doctor. Loperamide hydrochloride is the chief ingredient of most of these quick-fix diarrhea medications. Let's see what it is and what it does.

What is Loperamide Hydrochloride?

Loperamide is a synthetic compound that is chemically derived from piperidine, the latter being an organic (carbon based) compound. Loperamide hydrochloride appears as a powdery substance whose color is white with slightly yellowish undertones. This compound is partially soluble in water but dissolves completely in isopropyl alcohol, chloroform and methanol. Loperamide hydrochloride tablets and capsules for treating diarrhea usually contain 2 mg of this compound. The mechanism of action followed by loperamide hydrochloride is to slow down intra-intestinal activity so that the intestinal walls get more time to absorb water and nutrients. This causes lesser liquids and electrolytes to escape the body via excretion, thereby, arresting frequent bowel movements. However, the process is gradual as the drug takes some time to completely take control of momentum of intestinal activities. It might take as long as 48 hours to completely relieve diarrhea symptoms.

Loperamide hydrochloride is most effecting against idiopathic diarrhea, gastroenteritis induced diarrhea or diarrhea caused as a result of inflammatory bowel disease. It may be administered to people suffering from mild travelers' diarrhea including those adults in whom such diarrhea occurs as a result of HIV infection. It, however, does nothing to prevent traveler's diarrhea and is not advised for individuals suffering from sever diarrhea symptoms that are accompanied by the presence of blood in stool and high fever.

Loperamide Hydrochloride Dosage

Although it is not advisable to administer loperamide hydrochloride based medication to children, oral solutions, prescribed by a registered medical practitioner, may be administered in strictly measured doses in rigid accordance with the doctor's prescription. Under no circumstances should children below 2 years of age be administered loperamide hydrochloride. Children between 6-8 years of age may be given 2 mg twice a day and those between 8-12 years may be given 2 mg thrice a day. However, besides age, the body weight of the child is also a decisive factor for determining the dose and frequency of administration. Adults who are under loperamide hydrochloride medication should drink lots of fluids and increase their electrolyte intake. The medication should not be diluted or mixed with any solvent whatsoever before or for the purpose of intake. Loperamide hydrochloride should be discontinued if the diarrhea symptoms persist beyond 48 hours of starting such medication. Children between 2-5 years of age are usually administered not more than 1 mg thrice daily.

Although easily and generically available, loperamide hydrochloride is a potent drug and may have adverse side effects if overused or unnecessarily ingested. It must never be given to patients complaining of abdominal pain but no diarrhea. Also, some individuals may exhibit symptoms of hypersensitivity towards loperamide hydrochloride. Administration of loperamide hydrochloride is also strictly prohibited in individuals with acute dysentery, acute ulcerative colitis, pseudomembranous colitis and bacterial enterocolitis. It is advisable that loperamide hydrochloride be considered as a temporary symptomatic treatment rather than a chronic diarrhea medication. Consulting a doctor and following the prescribed course of treatment is the best way to get rid of the root cause.