Lomotil

Lomotil is the trade nameof a popular oral anti-diarrhealdrugin the United States, manufactured by Pfizer.

Its active ingredients are diphenoxylateand atropine. Diphenoxylate is anti-diarrheic and atropine is anticholinergic. Diphenoxylate is chemically related to the narcoticdrug meperidine. Atropine is used to treat diarrheathat is not caused by infectionwith bacteria. The medication works by slowing down the movement of the intestines.

The inactive ingredients of Lomotil are cherryflavor, citric acid, ethyl alcohol15%, FD&C Yellow No. 6, glycerin, sodium phosphate, sorbitol, and water.

Other trade names for the same therapeutic combination are Lofene, Logen, Lomanate and Lonox, among others. In other countries, Lomotil may have other names.

Contraindications

Absolute contraindicationsfor Lomotil are:

• Allergyto diphenoxylate or atropine
• Presence of jaundice
• Diarrhea associated with pseudomembranous enterocolitis, diarrhea caused by antibiotictreatment) or diarrhea caused by enterotoxin-producing bacteria.

Interactions

Interactions with other drugs:

• Sedatives
• Barbiturates
• Antidepressants(e.g., Elavil, Prozac, Paxil)
• Tranquilizers(e.g., Valium, Xanax)
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors(e.g., Nardil, Parnate)

Diarrheathat is caused by some antibioticssuch as cefaclor, erythromycinor tetracyclinecan worsen with Lomotil.

Safety

The drug combination is generally safe in short-term use and with recommended dosage. Long-term use may present problems of mild drug dependency. The dosageshould be reduced after 48 h.

Lomotil may cause several side-effects, such as dry mouth, headache, constipationand blurred vision. Since it may cause also drowsinessor dizziness, Lomotil should not be used by motorists, operators of hazardous machinery, etc. It is not recommended for children under two years of age.

Toxicity

Lomotil may cause serious health problems when overdosed. Signsand symptomsof adverse effectsmay include any or several of the following: convulsions, respiratory depression(slow or stopped breathing), pinpoint or dilated eye pupils, nystagmus(rapid side-to-side eyemovements), erythema(flushed skin), gastrointestinal constipation, nausea, vomiting, paralytic ileus, tachycardia(rapid pulse), drowsiness, comaand hallucinations. Symptoms of toxicitymay take up to 12 hours to appear.

Treatment of Lomotil overdose must be initiated immediately after diagnosisand may include the following: emesis(indiced vomiting), gastric lavage, ingestion of activated charcoal, laxativeand a counteracting medication (narcotic antagonist).

Prompt and thorough treatment of overdose leads to a favorable outcome. After a narcotic antagonist is given, recovery is usually within 24 to 48 hours. Children are at risk of a very poor outcome and must be kept for observation.

External link

• Diphenoxylate and Atropin. RxList.
• LomotilFact Sheet

Source

• Lomotil overdose. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Public domain.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomotil Wikipedia article Lomotil.