KARACHI, July 20: Most of the acute diarrhoea cases can be prevented by proper food hygiene and sanitation, but, widespread empirical use of antibiotics
and antispasmodic in patients of acute diarrhoea strengthen resistance against antibiotics and may actually prolong the course.
This was observed by doctors at the Continuation Medical Education programme on "Diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome and bleeding per rectum", organized by the Gastroenterology Department of Liaquat National Hospital on Tuesday.
The gastroenterology department head, Dr Jamila Esmail, spoke on the approach to a patient of diarrhoea and informed that chronic diarrhoeas lasting over four weeks required proper investigation and treatment of the underlying etiology.
"Giardiasis, intestinal tuberculosis, ulcerative colitis, worm infestation and the IBS account for most cases of chronic diarrhoeas. Many medications taken for common diseases can also produce diarrhoea," she added.
Giving presentation on "Irritable bowel syndrome", Dr Parvez Ashraf said that it was on the rise in stressful environment, whereas it was at times over diagnosed. "An underlying organic cause should be ruled out before labelling the patient as the IBS," he said.
He said that all tests of the IBS patients with diarrhoea or constipation and cramps were generally found normal and patients usually did not experience weight loss. Dr Qamarul Arfeen gave an overview on the causes of blood in stools. He said the most common cause of bleeding per rectum was haemorrhoids, infective colitis in adults and polyps in children. -PPI
