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Prescription Medications That Can Be Harmful to the Digestive System. Digestive Health and Nutrition. p. 26-29. September-October 2000.

This article reviews the possible negative impact of prescription medications on the digestive system. Drugs that are swallowed enter the body through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, making it an easy target for side effects. However, injected or infused drugs can also upset the GI tract. Sometimes taking the drug with food will decrease GI side effects; however, food can interfere with the actions of some medications. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are very effective in helping to reduce the inflammation and pain caused by arthritis and other conditions, however, they increase the risk of ulcers when taking long term. Damage also can occur in the small and large intestine due to the prolonged use of NSAIDs. The drugs can bring about a relapse of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and they may cause a rare condition called collagenous colitis or cause diverticula pouches in the colon wall to bleed or perforate. Diarrhea is another common and potentially serious side effect of some prescription drugs; antibiotics, in particular, often cause diarrhea. Other drugs that cause diarrhea, include chemotherapy cancer drugs, magnesium-containing antacids, the antiobesity drug Xenical, and some diabetes drugs. In addition, some drugs can slow the motility of the GI tract or can limit activities, resulting in constipation. Other GI problems can include esophageal irritation (from oral pills getting stuck in the esophagus), liver toxicity, and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). The author concludes by reminding readers that most drugs have the potential for causing GI upset and that patients should work closely with their physicians to monitor side effects. 1 table.

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Safe at the Table. Digestive Health and Nutrition. p. 28-31. May-June 2000.

Foodborne illness, more commonly referred to as 'food poisoning,' is a frequent but underrecognized cause of gastrointestinal distress that can lead to complications and even death. This article reviews foodborne illness and offers strategies for preventing food contamination. Quick diagnosis is essential to help prevent the sometimes lethal effects of a foodborne illness; however, diagnosis can be difficult since food poisoning is often confused with stomach flu. Headache, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever can accompany either illness. And with the onset of food poisoning, symptoms occur sometimes as late as 36 hours after ingestion, so it is natural to first blame an intestinal bug rather than food ingested the day before yesterday. Children and infants are particularly threatened by foodborne bacterial infections, especially Escherichia coli, which can lead to the development of a secondary disorder called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Contamination of food by infected food handlers is probably the most common cause of foodborne illness; other common causes include eating shellfish harvested from sewage polluted waters, or improperly prepared chicken and other types of poultry. The article reviews the more common foodborne contaminants: Salmonella and Campylobacter, Perfringens, E. coli, Staphylococcus, and Listeria monocytogenes. The article concludes with a brief list of additional resources, including government agencies and websites. 2 tables.

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