As a Pharm D student, I came across a case of a male patient who is 64 years old presented with chief complaints of loose stools occurring 7-8 times per day since 5 days, associated with mild abdominal pain and generalized weakness.
At first it looked like a simple case, but considering the patient’s history of hypertension and coronary artery disease the case needed thorough assessment.
Acute diarrhea is the sudden onset of loose watery stools that occur three or more times per day and it usually does not last more than 14 days and often resolves on its own.
Acute diarrhea is commonly caused by infectious agents like viruses, bacteria, or parasites, and can occur depending upon the food you take and also because of some medications.
Acute diarrhea though it is common it can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, especially in elderly patients.
After proper assessment, the patient was treated with anti diarrheal agents, antibiotics and probiotics and oral rehydration therapy.
This case taught me that even something like diarrhea can be serious if you do not take care of it. This is especially true for people who have health problems, like this patient did.
How often do we ignore common symptoms like diarrhea without realizing they could lead to serious complications?
MBH/PS