Summer has arrived, and diarrhea has entered a high-risk period. Diarrhea is caused by various factors, and the main clinical symptoms are increased frequency of bowel movements and changes in stool characteristics. For non infectious diarrhea, oral rehydration salts, probiotic preparations, and adsorbents are commonly used drugs, collectively known as the "Three Swordsmen of Diarrhea". This article focuses on introducing the methods of taking these three drugs. The prerequisite for any medication to take effect is to take it correctly. If taken incorrectly, it can affect the efficacy of the medication. So, how to take these three medications correctly?
Oral Rehydration Salts
In the introduction of the World Health Organization's diarrhea treatment guidelines, it is stated that "many deaths in diarrhea patients are caused by dehydration. Simple oral rehydration alone can safely and effectively treat acute abdominal diarrhea in over 90% of patients of various etiologies and ages." Oral rehydration salts are a mixture of various inorganic salts and glucose, and can also be absorbed in the small intestine during periods of high bowel movements to replenish lost water and electrolytes through feces. When using, a bag of oral rehydration salt should be filled to the specified capacity in one go according to the requirements. It cannot be split into half bags and filled to half the capacity, as inaccurate splitting can affect the concentration of the solution and thus affect the efficacy. It is not recommended to add sugar, milk, or juice to oral rehydration salt solution to correct the taste. A one-time prepared rehydration salt can be taken in multiple doses, and for smaller children, the principle of small amounts multiple times can be followed. The prepared oral rehydration salt solution can be stored at room temperature for 24 hours, and attention should be paid to avoiding bacterial diarrhea caused by food, saliva, and other contaminants.
Probiotics
Probiotics can maintain the balance of gut microbiota by adjusting microbial dysbiosis. For mild diarrhea, sometimes probiotics alone can also alleviate it. Probiotics are mostly frozen probiotic preparations, which need to be diluted with water before use. If the water temperature is too high, it will kill some probiotics and reduce the efficacy. Therefore, the water temperature for dissolving such drugs should not exceed 40 ℃. The combination of probiotics and antibiotics can weaken their therapeutic effect, as antibiotics can kill probiotics. Therefore, the combination of these two types of drugs should be separated by at least two hours; When probiotics are combined with adsorbents, the adsorbents will adsorb probiotics, reducing their efficacy, so they should be taken at least two hours apart.
Adsorbent
Montmorillonite powder is the most commonly used adsorbent and should be taken on an empty stomach because food can affect the coverage effect of the drug on the surface of the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, after taking the medication, one should not eat or drink immediately, and it is necessary to wait for a period of time, otherwise it will affect the efficacy of the medication. Early morning and before going to bed are good fasting states and the best time to take medication. A bag of montmorillonite powder (3g) needs to be mixed with 50ml of water. If it is half a bag, 25ml of water should be used. Water should not be too little or too much. Too little can affect the uniformity of drug distribution in the gastrointestinal mucosa, while too much can affect the efficacy of the medication. Due to the insolubility of montmorillonite powder in water, it is recommended to drink while stirring to ensure consistent concentration of the medicine.
Sometimes, doctors may prescribe the "Diarrhea Three Musketeers" for patients with diarrhea at the same time. At this point, in order to ensure the efficacy of each medication, attention should be paid to scheduling the medication time, for example, taking montmorillonite powder first to absorb gastrointestinal bacteria, and then taking probiotics and oral rehydration salts at intervals. Finally, I would like to remind everyone that if the symptoms continue to persist after taking medication, it is necessary to seek medical attention promptly.