Table 2.
Advantages and disadvantages of available bowel preparations
| Prep | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| 4 L PEG | Effective | Poor taste |
| Safe in most populations | Very high volumes | |
| Poorly tolerated by patients | ||
| 2 L PEG | Effective | Poor taste |
| Safe in most populations | High volumes | |
| High cost | ||
| MiraLAX | Well tolerated by patients | Not as effective as prescription PEG preparations |
| Available over the counter | Rare reports of hyponatremia | |
| Existing studies indicate it is safe | ||
| Sodium phosphate | Available as oral tab | Inappropriate for use in patients with renal disease, volume depletion, heart or liver failure, or who are taking ACEi or NSAIDs |
| Well tolerated by patients | Risk of acute phosphate nephropathy and subsequent chronic kidney disease | |
| Sodium picosulfate | Cost | |
| Well tolerated by patients | Not as effective as PEG or OSS | |
| OSS | Small volumes to be ingested | Inappropriate for patients with heart failure, renal insufficiency, end stage liver disease, or baseline electrolyte abnormalities |
| Pleasant taste | High cost | |
| Well tolerated by patients | High cost | |
| Highly effective | Not as well studied | |
| Available as oral tab |
PEG: Preparation of polyethylene glycol; ACEi: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors; NSAIDs: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; OSS: Oral sulfate solution.