The emergency department approach to diarrhea.
Enteric disease represents a significant medical problem on a worldwide basis. The evaluation of patients with diarrhea in the emergency department should follow a stepwise methodology to identify potentially serious disorders. The evaluation of the stool for fecal leukocytes is an important differentiation point in the evaluation of the moderately to seriously ill diarrhea patient. Oral rehydration alone can treat the vast majority of diarrhea patients. Oral rehydration solution takes advantage of the sodium glucose coupled active absorption mechanism, which is largely unaffected by enteric toxins. Antimicrobial or antidiarrheal agents are rarely indicated in the treatment of diarrhea.
Hogan
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Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA.
D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004635:Emergency Medicine; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006801:Humans