Pepto-Bismol
Place in Therapy
Place in Therapy
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) has also been used for symptomatic treatment of acute diarrhea. When compared with placebo, bismuth subsalicylate significantly reduced the number of unformed stools and increased the proportion of patients free of symptoms at the end of treatment trialls1-3. However, in studies that compared bismuth subsalicylate with loperamide, loperamide brought significantly faster relief 1-3. A role for bismuth subsalicylate may be in patients with significant fever and dysentery, conditions in which loperamide should be avoided. The dose of bismuth subsalicylate is dosed according to age and can be found under patient counselling.
References:
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) has also been used for symptomatic treatment of acute diarrhea. When compared with placebo, bismuth subsalicylate significantly reduced the number of unformed stools and increased the proportion of patients free of symptoms at the end of treatment trialls1-3. However, in studies that compared bismuth subsalicylate with loperamide, loperamide brought significantly faster relief 1-3. A role for bismuth subsalicylate may be in patients with significant fever and dysentery, conditions in which loperamide should be avoided. The dose of bismuth subsalicylate is dosed according to age and can be found under patient counselling.
References:
- Steffen R. Worldwide efficacy of bismuth subsalicylate in the treatment of travelers' diarrhea. Rev Infect Dis 1990; 12 Suppl 1:S80.
- Graham DY, Estes MK, Gentry LO. Double-blind comparison of bismuth subsalicylate and placebo in the prevention and treatment of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli-induced diarrhea in volunteers. Gastroenterology 1983; 85:1017.
- DuPont HL, Sullivan P, Pickering LK, et al. Symptomatic treatment of diarrhea with bismuth subsalicylate among students attending a Mexican university. Gastroenterology 1977; 73:715.
- DuPont HL, Flores Sanchez J, Ericsson CD, et al. Comparative efficacy of loperamide hydrochloride and bismuth subsalicylate in the management of acute diarrhea. Am J Med 1990; 88:15S.