MKSAP: 25-year-old woman with diarrhea for 2 days

Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians. A 25-year-old woman e-mails her internist from Mexico with a report of diarrhea for 2 days. She is traveling and reports three to four loose bowel movements per day. She has been dining in the hotel restaurants but has also consumed foods and bottled soft drinks served with ice from local food vendors. She feels urgency to move her bowels but no tenesmus. She has mild abdominal cramping without pain, vomiting, or fever. Stools are described as watery without mucus or blood. Although she is uncomfortable, she has not had to alter her travel plans. Medical history is unremarkable and she takes no medications. She was given levofloxacin and loperamide to take with her on her trip. In addition to encouraging oral hydration, which of the following is the most appropriate treatment recommendation for this patient? A: Begin levofloxacin and loperamide now B: Begin levofloxacin now and start loperamide 24 hours later C: Begin loperamide now D: No further treatment unless symptoms worsen Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Tags: Conditions GI Source Type: blogs