The ‘Mystery’ of Opioid-Induced Diarrhea

Bowel dysfunction, mainly constipation, is a well-known and anticipated side effect of opioids. The physician prescribing an opioid frequently confronts the challenge of preventing and treating bowel dysfunction. Different strategies have emerged for managing opioid-induced constipation. These strat...

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Main Authors: Silviu Bril, Yoav Shoham, Jeremy Marcus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:Pain Research and Management
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/309685
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author Silviu Bril
Yoav Shoham
Jeremy Marcus
author_facet Silviu Bril
Yoav Shoham
Jeremy Marcus
author_sort Silviu Bril
collection DOAJ
description Bowel dysfunction, mainly constipation, is a well-known and anticipated side effect of opioids. The physician prescribing an opioid frequently confronts the challenge of preventing and treating bowel dysfunction. Different strategies have emerged for managing opioid-induced constipation. These strategies include physical activity, maintaining adequate fluid intake, adhering to regular daily bowel habits, using laxatives and other anticonstipation medications and, recently, using a peripheral opioid antagonist, either as a separate drug or in the form of an opioid agonist-antagonist combination pill. What options exist for the physician when a patient receiving opioids complains of diarrhea, cramps and bloating, rather than the expected constipation? The present article describes a possible cause of opioid-induced diarrhea and strategies for management.
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spelling doaj-art-4ace33c91dd94db981315da2e2f74b0e2025-08-20T02:38:03ZengWileyPain Research and Management1203-67652011-01-0116319719910.1155/2011/309685The ‘Mystery’ of Opioid-Induced DiarrheaSilviu Bril0Yoav Shoham1Jeremy Marcus2Center for Pain Medicine, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, IsraelCenter for Pain Medicine, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, IsraelWashington Nephrology Associates, Washington, DC, USABowel dysfunction, mainly constipation, is a well-known and anticipated side effect of opioids. The physician prescribing an opioid frequently confronts the challenge of preventing and treating bowel dysfunction. Different strategies have emerged for managing opioid-induced constipation. These strategies include physical activity, maintaining adequate fluid intake, adhering to regular daily bowel habits, using laxatives and other anticonstipation medications and, recently, using a peripheral opioid antagonist, either as a separate drug or in the form of an opioid agonist-antagonist combination pill. What options exist for the physician when a patient receiving opioids complains of diarrhea, cramps and bloating, rather than the expected constipation? The present article describes a possible cause of opioid-induced diarrhea and strategies for management.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/309685
spellingShingle Silviu Bril
Yoav Shoham
Jeremy Marcus
The ‘Mystery’ of Opioid-Induced Diarrhea
Pain Research and Management
title The ‘Mystery’ of Opioid-Induced Diarrhea
title_full The ‘Mystery’ of Opioid-Induced Diarrhea
title_fullStr The ‘Mystery’ of Opioid-Induced Diarrhea
title_full_unstemmed The ‘Mystery’ of Opioid-Induced Diarrhea
title_short The ‘Mystery’ of Opioid-Induced Diarrhea
title_sort mystery of opioid induced diarrhea
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/309685
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