Anti-Diarrhea Drug Used To Get High
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Researchers say an over the counter treatment for diarrhea is being used by drug abusers to get high. According to a study done in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, people are overdosing on anti-diarrhea drugs, like Imodium, with sometimes deadly consequences.
"If you have dependency, typically you will go to any means to get high," said Matthew Jarvis, Supervisor for Men's Programs at CeDAR, the Center for Dependency Addiction and Rehabilitation at the University of Colorado Hospital.
Typically, opioid abusers use prescription painkillers like oxycodone or the illegal drug, heroin. But the research published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine shows desperate addicts are turning to massive doses of drugs like Imodium.
Jarvis told CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh he was shocked when he first learned about Imodium abuse from a patient at CeDAR.
"He had heard from his friends if you take enough Imodium it's like taking opioids," said Jarvis.
The active ingredient in Imodium, loperamide, offers a cheap high if taken in extraordinary amounts.
"We're talking 150 to 200 of these tabs,"said Dr. Joseph Cannavo, Chief of Chemical Dependency Treatment Services at Kaiser Permanente.
"At those doses there's a risk of fatal heart arrhythmias, also tremendous constipation," said Cannavo.
He said addicts look to loperamide to get high and ease withdrawal.
"It seems to have exploded in recent months," said Cannavo.
National poison centers reported a 71 percent increase in calls involving loperamide-containing drugs between 2011 and 2014, according to the article in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
Some argue the sales of loperamide should be restricted. The FDA is considering whether to start monitoring sales of Imodium and similar drugs in the same way they monitor pseudoephedrine, the decongestant that can be processed into methamphetamine.
In a safety announcement the FDA states," We continue to evaluate this safety issue and will determine if additional FDA actions are needed."
