Loperamide Misuse Mimicking Symptoms of Severe Malnutrition

Loperamide, an oral over-the-counter μ-opioid receptor agonist used to treat diarrhea, acts primarily in the gut and, when used as recommended, has little to no systemic effect. At high doses, it may cause a “high” like other opioids. Recent literature describes an increasing incidence of loperamide misuse and overdose in the sett ing of the US opioid epidemic. In this case, we describe a 16-year-old with anorexia nervosa who developed dizziness, syncope, and constipation at the time of weight loss.
Source: Journal of Adolescent Health - Category: Child Development Authors: Tags: Clinical observations Source Type: research