title: Diabetic diarrhea.
abstract: Diabetic patients with diarrhea may present clinical challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Particular diagnoses are more prevalent in diabetic patients than in the general population. Medications are often a culprit for chronic diarrhea, and the medication list should always be carefully scrutinized for those with diarrhea as a side effect. In diabetic patients, metformin is a common cause of diarrhea. Diabetic patients are more likely to have associated diseases (eg, celiac sprue and microscopic colitis) that present with diarrhea as the sole complaint. Ingested sugar-free foods that may contain sorbitol or other agents can cause diarrhea in diabetic patients. Finally, diabetic enteropathy can itself cause diarrhea. The various etiologies can be diagnosed with a thorough history and appropriate diagnostic tests. This article focuses on the etiologies of diarrhea that are seen with higher incidence in diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Section of Gastroenterology, Baylor College of Medicine, Suite 8.36, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gould
authors.forename: Joseph H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sellin
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications; D003000:Clonidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003092:Colitis / Q000150:complications; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D015994:Incidence; D008139:Loperamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008687:Metformin / Q000009:adverse effects; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000930:Antidiarrheals; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D008139:Loperamide; D008687:Metformin; D003000:Clonidine; D015282:Octreotide