Antibiotic-associated diarrhea

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea manifests as frequent bowel movements after taking medications to treat bacterial infections.

Most often, the diarrhea is mild and will go away soon after the antibiotic is stopped. In some cases, the diarrhea leads to colitis (inflammation of the bowel) or a more severe form of colitis, pseudomembranous colitis. Both of these conditions can cause abdominal pain, fever, and bloody stools

Mild diarrhea associated with antibiotics does not require treatment, and in more severe cases it is recommended to stop or replace the antibiotic.

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea is caused by an imbalance of "good" and "bad" bacteria in the digestive system.

Antibiotics that most commonly cause diarrhea

Almost all antibiotics can cause diarrhea, colitis, or pseudomembranous colitis, but the most common antibiotics are:

• Cephalosporins (cefixime, cefpodoxime)
Most of these bacteria are beneficial and perform an important digestive function

However, some bacteria are potentially dangerous and mostly their activity is suppressed by "beneficial" bacteria. Sometimes, this delicate balance between good and bad bacteria is disrupted by antibiotics, illness, or other factors.

Antibiotics specifically upset this balance because they destroy both good and bad bacteria. Sometimes, without sufficient numbers of beneficial bacteria, dangerous bacteria multiply, produce toxins, damage the gut, and cause inflammation.

Clostridium difficile causes the most dangerous antibiotic-associated diarrhea

The main cause of severe diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis is the bacterium Clostridium difficile Generally, colitis caused by this organism occurs after patients receive antibiotics while in the hospital

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Symptoms of antibiotic-associated diarrhea can be mild or severe

Common signs and symptoms

Mostly, symptoms are mild and include:

• Liquid stools
• Frequent bowel movements

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea develops within a week of taking it Sometimes, symptoms may develop weeks or even days after the antibiotic has been stopped

Relatively severe signs and symptoms

Some patients have more severe diarrhea When the bacteria overgrows, you may have these signs of colitis or pseudomembranous colitis:

• Frequent, watery diarrhea
• Abdominal pain and cramps
• Fever
• Mucous stools
• Bloody stools
These symptoms may be related to other conditions, so your doctor may use other tests to determine the cause