Uses of Flamipio

Flamipio is a prescription medication indicated for the treatment of diarrhea. When using the drug can occur some unwanted side effects, so you should take the medicine exactly as directed and prescribed by your doctor.

Flamipio is a prescription digestive medicine. Each Flamipio capsule contains the following ingredients:
Active ingredient: Loperamide Hydrochlorid USP 2 mg ( Flamipio 2mg) Excipients: Colloidal anhydrous silica (Aerosil 200), Lactos Monohydrate,talc, Maize Starch, Sodium Starch Glycolat , Avicel, flavoring agent, Magnesium Stearate... just enough 1 tablet. Each box of Flamipio has 10 blisters, each blister has 10 capsules.
When taking Loperamide, absorption and metabolism from the gastrointestinal tract is about 40%. More than 50% of the drug will be metabolized in the liver to the inactive form; 30-40% is excreted in faeces and urine both as unchanged and as metabolites. Besides, the drug content excreted in milk is very low, combined with high protein at about 97%. The drug has a half-life of about 7-14 hours.

As a synthetic opioid with little effect on the central nervous system at normal doses, Flamipio is mainly used to reduce gastrointestinal secretions, decrease small bowel motility and increase anal contractions. In addition, due to the effect of promoting the transport of fluids and electrolytes through the intestinal mucosa, the transit time is increased, so Flamipio helps to reduce the amount of stool. These effects are thought to be through a decrease in the release of acetylcholine and prostaglandins.
With the above properties, the drug Flamipio is indicated in the following cases:
Relief of symptoms of acute nonspecific diarrhea and chronic diarrhea caused by inflammatory bowel disease; Indication of drugs in reducing stool volume for patients undergoing ileostomy; Symptomatic treatment of acute diarrhea in adults and children 12 years of age and older; Symptomatic treatment of acute episodes of irritable bowel syndrome in adults 18 years of age and older under a preliminary diagnosis by a physician.

In the treatment of acute diarrhea:
Adults: Initial dose of Flamipio 4mg. Then 2 mg after each loose stool, up to a maximum of 16 mg/day; Children: The first day with children 8 - 12 years old, use Flamipio 2mg 3 times a day; 6 - 8 years old use 2 mg 2 times a day; From the second day, take 1 mg/10 kg after each loose stool, the total dose/day should not exceed the dose of the first day. Treatment of chronic diarrhea:
Adults: Take 4 - 8 mg/day once or divided into several times; Children: No studies yet.

Contraindicated for the following cases:
Flamipio should not be used for children under 12 years old and the elderly; Flamipio should not be used in patients with acute ulcerative colitis or pseudomembranous colitis caused by broad-spectrum antibiotics; Patients with acute dysentery have blood in the stool accompanied by high fever; Patients with acute ulcerative colitis, invasive bacterial enteritis contraindicated using Flamipio; Inhibition of intestinal motility should be avoided. Flamipio should be discontinued immediately when intestinal obstruction, constipation, abdominal distension occurs; Cases of hypersensitivity to drug components, acute diarrhea caused by bacteria capable of penetrating deep into the intestinal mucosa such as E.coli, Salmonella, Shigella are contraindicated to use Flamipio; People with severe liver failure.

When using Flamipio, patients may experience some side effects as follows:
Possible side effects with an unstable rate such as: Dizziness, dry mouth, abdominal pain, blistering rash , flatulence, constipation, angioedema, nausea or vomiting. Side effects appear late: There are signs of other ventricular arrhythmias, pancreatitis and prolongation of the QT/QTc interval, torsades de pointes, syncope or even cardiac arrest leading to death. Side effects are usually mild and can resolve on their own: When treating chronic diarrhea, undesirable effects are common such as abdominal pain, constipation, abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, irritability, dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, drowsiness, or hypersensitivity reactions such as skin allergies. When side effects such as abdominal distension, confusion or in subjects with peptic ulcers, abdominal distension, bloody stools, the drug must be discontinued and the prescribing physician informed.

In the treatment of acute infectious diarrhea, it is recommended to start a specific regimen with Loperamide, after 48 hours, if the clinical symptoms are still not improved, the drug should be discontinued; Although Flamipio has no central nervous system stimulant effect, alcohol should be avoided during drug treatment; Use in pregnancy and lactation: Because there are not enough studies in pregnant women, Flamipio should not be used during pregnancy. Flamipio can be used for nursing mothers in low doses because Loperamide produces very little milk. Flamipio does not interfere with the ability to drive or use machines. Flamipio may increase the bioavailability of Sulfamethoxazol/trimethoprim thereby increasing its effect. However, the combination of Bactrim and Flamipio is possible clinically in traveler's diarrhea.

When using too much Flamipio drug can cause symptoms such as:
Hypersensitivity reactions: For example, irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, depression of the central nervous system or constipation. Experimental results and symptoms such as nausea or vomiting occurred in adults receiving 60 mg for 1 day. In healthy subjects, a single dose of 60 mg Loperamide did not cause significant side effects. Treatment of drug overdose Flamipio:
Immediately after taking an overdose of Flamipio with symptoms, the method of using activated charcoal to absorb toxins can reduce the amount of drug absorbed into the body; Children may be more sensitive to CNS depressant effects. Therefore, the recommended treatment is Naloxone for detoxification. In case of missed dose, you should continue to take the medicine as usual and skip the previous dose, do not take a make up dose because it will cause an overdose, affecting your health. You should also not miss 2 doses in a row because it will reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.
In summary, Flamipio is mainly used to treat acute and chronic diarrhea. This is a prescription drug, so patients should carefully read the instructions for use, consult your doctor / pharmacist before using.