Pharmacological management of diarrhea.
According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 2 billion annual cases of diarrhea worldwide. Diarrhea is the leading cause of death in children younger than 5 years and kills 1.5 million children each year. It is especially prevalent in the developing world, where mortality is related to dehydration, electrolyte disturbance, and the resultant acidosis, and in 2001, it accounted for 1.78 million deaths (3.7% of total deaths) in low- and middle-income countries. However, diarrhea is also a common problem in the developed world, with 211 million to 375 million episodes of infectious diarrheal illnesses in the United States annually, resulting in 73 million physician consultations, 1.8 million hospitalizations, and 3100 deaths. Furthermore, 4% to 5% of the Western population suffers from chronic diarrhea. Given the high prevalence of diarrhea, research has been directed at learning more about the cellular mechanisms underlying diarrheal illnesses in order to develop new medications directed at novel cellular targets. These cellular mechanisms and targets are discussed in this article.
Department of Gastroenterology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
Alexandra J
AJ
Kent
Matthew R
MR
Banks
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001729:Bismuth / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006801:Humans; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D017480:Receptors, sigma / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013373:Substance P / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000930:Antidiarrheals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002147:Calmodulin; D018118:Chloride Channels; D009294:Narcotics; D017480:Receptors, sigma; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin; D013373:Substance P; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D013004:Somatostatin; D015260:Neprilysin; D001729:Bismuth