What is the effective treatment for infectious diarrhea?

Infectious diarrhea is a problem that needs attention, because frequent diarrhea or vomiting may sometimes cause severe dehydration and cause great harm to the patient. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to timely rehydration treatment, pay attention to diet, and choose more easily digestible foods rich in various trace elements.

1. Diet therapy

Patients with acute infectious diarrhea generally do not need to fast (except for severe vomiting). They should resume eating 4 hours after starting oral rehydration therapy or intravenous rehydration, eat small meals frequently (6 meals a day are recommended), eat less greasy, easily digestible foods rich in trace elements and vitamins, and increase calorie intake as much as possible. Avoid canned fruit juices, etc., as this may aggravate diarrhea.

2. Fluid therapy

Adult patients with acute infectious diarrhea should be encouraged to receive oral rehydration salts as much as possible, but intravenous rehydration therapy should be used in the following situations:

(1) Frequent vomiting and inability to eat or drink;

(2) Severe systemic conditions such as high fever, especially those accompanied by impaired consciousness;

(3) Severe dehydration, circulatory failure accompanied by severe electrolyte imbalance and acid-base imbalance;

(4) Other situations that are not suitable for oral rehydration therapy. Fluid rehydration for patients suffering from shock caused by dehydration should follow the principle of "fast first, slow later, salt first, sugar later, crystals first, colloids later, and potassium supplementation when urine is seen".

3. Antidiarrheal treatment

(1) Intestinal mucosal protective agents and adsorbents such as montmorillonite, pectin and activated carbon have the function of absorbing intestinal toxins and protecting the intestinal mucosa.

(2) Probiotics are not only beneficial to human health, but can also be used to treat diarrhea, effectively reduce the occurrence of AAD, and significantly reduce Clostridium difficile infection. Avoid using probiotics and antibiotics at the same time as much as possible.

4. Inhibit intestinal secretion

(1) Bismuth subsalicylate inhibits intestinal secretion and relieves symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain in patients with diarrhea.

(2) Enkephalinase inhibitors, which reduce excessive secretion of intestinal water and electrolytes.

5. Intestinal motility inhibitors

Loperamide, phenoxylate. Not recommended for infectious diarrhea.