Anti-Diarrhea Drugs Overdose More Common Than We Think, Can Lead To Deadly Heart Conditions

First Posted: Jun 08, 2016 05:53 AM EDT
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According to the Food and Drug Administration, overdoses on anti-diarrhea drugs are far more common that we think.

The health agency found that loperamide, which is the main ingredient found in prescription Imodium and other over-the-counter drugs is prone to being abused, as reported by CBS News. Abusers sometimes take massive doses of anti-diarrhea drugs in order to attain heroin-like highs. From the recommended doses of 8 to 16 milligrams, there are those who would take up to 300 milligrams at once!

The FDA warned that overdoses can be deadly. The agency told doctors and patients Tuesday that the drugs, taken at abnormally high levels can lead to deadly heart conditions. 

The warning came at the heel of the findings released by a journal article published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. According to the journal article, there was a 71% increase in calls associated with loperamide-containing drugs between 2011 and 2014 made to national poison control centers. 

CBS News has reported about this and even learned from Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds of the Family and Children's Association that addition is rampant and is hard to curb. "Folks that are desperately addicted, folks that are looking to stave off withdrawal symptoms, will do whatever it takes, sometimes, really extreme things," Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds told CBS New York. "So in the scheme of things, taking 300 pills is not unheard of."

In the meantime, FDA is now proposing the restriction of ver-the-counter sales of the anti-diarrhea drugs. In addition, the agency will be more strict in monitoring the issue. 

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