Table 3.
Antimotility medications used for patients with short bowel syndrome.
| Medications | Usage Median (Range, %) |
Initial Dose Median (Range, mg/day) |
Maximum Dose Median (Range, mg/day) |
Dose Recommendation per Label (mg/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loperamide (First-line) |
90 (40–100) | 8 (2–24) | 28 (4–64) | 2–6 mg QID; maximum daily dose, 16 mg |
| Codeine | 20 (0–100) | 60 (30–120) | 240 (60–480) | 15–60 mg QID |
| Tincture of opium | 10 (0–100) | 8 (12–17.5) | 35 (24–50) | 0.3–1 mL QID |
| Diphenoxylate and atropine |
0 (0–100) | 10 (7.5–20) | 20 (10–40) | 2.5–7.5 mg QID; maximum daily dose, 20–25 mg |
Abbreviations: mg, milligram; QID, four times a day.