Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Lomotil

Lomotil is the trade name of a popular oral anti-diarrheal drug in the United States, manufactured by Pfizer. more...

Home
Diseases
Medicines
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
Labetalol
Lacrisert
Lactitol
Lactuca virosa
Lactulose
Lamictal
Lamisil
Lamivudine
Lamotrigine
Lanophyllin
Lansoprazole
Lantus
Lariam
Larotid
Lasix
Latanoprost
Lescol
Letrozole
Leucine
Leucovorin
Leukeran
Levaquin
Levetiracetam
Levitra
Levocabastine
Levocetirizine
Levodopa
Levofloxacin
Levomenol
Levomepromazine
Levonorgestrel
Levonorgestrel
Levophed
Levora
Levothyroxine sodium
Levoxyl
Levulan
Lexapro
Lexiva
Librium
Lidocaine
Lidopen
Linezolid
Liothyronine
Liothyronine Sodium
Lipidil
Lipitor
Lisinopril
Lithane
Lithobid
Lithonate
Lithostat
Lithotabs
Livostin
Lodine
Loestrin
Lomotil
Loperamide
Lopressor
Loracarbef
Loratadine
Loratadine
Lorazepam
Lortab
Losartan
Lotensin
Lotrel
Lotronex
Lotusate
Lovastatin
Lovenox
Loxapine
LSD
Ludiomil
Lufenuron
Lupron
Lutropin alfa
Luvox
Luxiq
Theophylline
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Its active ingredients are diphenoxylate and atropine. Diphenoxylate is anti-diarrheic and atropine is anticholinergic. Diphenoxylate is chemically related to the narcotic drug meperidine. Atropine is used to treat diarrhea that is not caused by infection with bacteria. The medication works by slowing down the movement of the intestines.

The inactive ingredients of Lomotil are cherry flavor, citric acid, ethyl alcohol 15%, FD&C Yellow No. 6, glycerin, sodium phosphate, sorbitol, and water.

Other trade names for the same therapeutic combination are Lofene, Logen, Lomanate and Lonox, among others. In other countries, Lomotil may have other names.

Contraindications

Absolute contraindications for Lomotil are:

  • Allergy to diphenoxylate or atropine
  • Presence of jaundice
  • Diarrhea associated with pseudomembranous enterocolitis, diarrhea caused by antibiotic treatment, or diarrhea caused by enterotoxin-producing bacteria.

Interactions

Interactions with other drugs:

  • Sedatives
  • Barbiturates
  • Antidepressants (e.g., Elavil, Prozac, Paxil)
  • Tranquilizers (e.g., Valium, Xanax)
  • Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (e.g., Nardil, Parnate)

Diarrhea that is caused by some antibiotics such as cefaclor, erythromycin or tetracycline can worsen with Lomotil.

Safety

The drug combination is generally safe in short-term use and with recommended dosage. Long-term use may present problems of mild drug dependency. The dosage should be reduced after 48 h.

Lomotil may cause several side-effects, such as dry mouth, headache, constipation and blurred vision. Since it may cause also drowsiness or dizziness, Lomotil should not be used by motorists, operators of hazardous machinery, etc. It is not recommended for children under two years of age.

Toxicity

Lomotil may cause serious health problems when overdosed. Signs and symptoms of adverse effects may include any or several of the following: convulsions, respiratory depression (slow or stopped breathing), pinpoint or dilated eye pupils, nystagmus (rapid side-to-side eye movements), erythema (flushed skin), gastrointestinal constipation, nausea, vomiting, paralytic ileus, tachycardia (rapid pulse), drowsiness, coma and hallucinations. Symptoms of toxicity may take up to 12 hours to appear.

Treatment of Lomotil overdose must be initiated immediately after diagnosis and may include the following: emesis (indiced vomiting), gastric lavage, ingestion of activated charcoal, laxative and a counteracting medication (narcotic antagonist).

Prompt and thorough treatment of overdose leads to a favorable outcome. After a narcotic antagonist is given, recovery is usually within 24 to 48 hours. Children are at risk of a very poor outcome and must be kept for observation.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Letters to the editor
From Nurse Practitioner, 3/1/03

Legislative Editorial Encourages NPs

I read the January Editor's Memo with interest. You make some wonderful observations, and have high hopes for the NP profession in the coming year. I hope more of us will jump on board with you.

I am a Family Nurse Practitioner who works primarily in an Emergency Room setting, in unfortunately, Missouri (one of the five more backward states for NPs). I find that having a collaborative agreement and not being able to write prescriptions for controlled drugs is a severe barrier to my personal practice and that of my colleagues.

As you mentioned, it's a slap in our collective faces that "collaboration" and "supervision" is thought to be a necessary part of so much legislation across the country. Bravo for the forward thinking states that allow NPs to do unfettered what they were trained to do without feeling the need for mandatory physician or pharmacy involvement.

In Missouri, if a patient presented to the ER and my collaborative physician is more than 50 miles from me, I can't legally treat the person. And heaven forbid a patient should need cough syrup with codeine for severe cough, lomotil for diarrhea, or valium to stop a seizure. Even with the same level of education, I cannot do what my colleagues across the state line do on a routine basis.

What if this were the case for physicians? They have the same basic education, but enjoy carte blanche in every state. Not so with the nursing profession. It's truly absurd.

And I am also in favor of eliminating the "alphabet soup" from our titles. In Missouri, I am Toby Miller, RN, MSN, CS, FNP How redundant. I think NP would do nicely, just as MD or DO. It might eliminate some of the confusion.

With health care being what it is and the demand on our nation's health care providers and hospitals at meltdown level, it seems like we should be making things easier. We should give those willing to work in the health care profession the tools they need to provide care, and not hand out more rope to restrict our movement.

Your thoughts are indeed refreshing. Count me in to help wherever I can. I agree, it is time to turn up the legislative heat and walk away from the table empowered, not more encumbered.

Toby Miller

Family Nurse Practitioner

Kansas City, M.O.

As a practicing ANP/CNS and subscriber to The Nurse Practiboner, I just wanted to commend you on taking a clear stand in your January Editor's Memo.

I share your concerns for the need to continue resisting the pressure to reduce the NP role to "midlevel medicine", and the need to remove the words 'collaboration' and 'supervision' from every state practice act. I too, feel the historical physician hierarchy over NP's is a travesty against the nursing profession, and continues to undermine the dignity and respect the nursing profession deserves.

In the long run, the erosion of professional autonomy discourages highly talented people from joining the profession. I wholeheartedly support your stand on this issue, and hope other nursing leaders will have the courage to explicitly state this publicly. Maybe once we can get down to "brass tacks" we can move forward for the good of the profession, and ultimately transfer the benefits to health care consumers.

Lee Porter, MSN, ANP-C,CNS, Wilmington, N.C.

Copyright Springhouse Corporation Mar 2003
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

Return to Lomotil
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay