Antidiarrheals for Low-Grade Diarrhea

Antidiarrheals, such as loperamide, are medications that help to stop or slow down passage of liquid or loose stool. Antidiarrheals have been suggested as a conservative measure for patients on immunotherapy experiencing low grade diarrhea. These agents are sometimes administered in combination with other immunotherapy-induced diarrhea treatments (i.e. steroids). Management strategies for immunotherapy-induced diarrhea are dependent on severity, associated symptoms, endoscopic, radiologic, and laboratory findings, and the exclusion of other causes (i.e., infection, neutropenic colitis) (Copeland et. al., 2023).

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Copeland, D., Dalton, K., Maupin, A., Peterson, K., & Weimer, J. (2023).  Gastrointestinal and mucosal toxicities. In M. Olsen, K. LeFebvre, S. Walker, & E. Prechtel Dunphy (Eds.), Chemotherapy and immunotherapy guidelines and recommendations for practice (2nd ed., pp.425-491). Oncology Nursing Society.

Guideline / Expert Opinion