• About
  • Recent Articles
  • Diseases
    • A – M
      • Cancer
        • Breast Cancer
        • Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma
      • Diabetes
      • Gastrointestinal
        • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) / Inflammable Bowel Disease (IBD)
        • Pseudomembranous Colitis
      • Immune Hemolytic Anemia (IHA)
      • Lupus
      • Mad Cow Disease
      • Measles
      • Mesothelioma
    • N – Z
      • Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy (NSF/NFD)
      • Pancreatitis
      • Parkinson’s Disease
      • Pneumonia
      • Psoriasis
      • Pulmonary
        • Aggravated Asthma
        • Pulmonary Vascular Disease
      • Rhabdomyolysis
      • Tuberculosis
  • Conditions
    • A – F
      • Achilles Tendon Rupture
      • Arthritis
      • Birth Defect
      • Blindness
        • Fungal Kerititis
        • NAION
      • Brain Damage
      • Cardiovascular
        • Arrhythmia
        • Drug-Induced Hypertension
        • Pulmonary Hypertension
        • Tachycardia
        • Valvular Heart Disease
      • Cholestasis
      • Depression
      • Eosinophilia
    • G – K
      • Gastrointestinal
        • Esophagitis
        • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) / Inflammable Bowel Disease (IBD)
      • Gynecomastia
      • Hallucinations
      • Hypoglycemia
      • Hyponatremia
      • Hypospadias
      • Hypothyroidism
      • Infertility
      • Ketoacidosis
      • Kidney Failure
      • Kidney Stone
    • L – R
      • Liver Damage
        • Drug-Induced Hepatitis
      • Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
      • Obesity
      • Osteonecrosis of the Jaw / Dead Jaw
      • Osteoporosis
      • Peripheral Neuropathy
      • Pneumonitis
      • Pulmonary Edema
    • S – Z
      • Serum Sickness
      • Sexual Dysfunction
      • Sleep Disorders / Sleep Disturbances
      • Stroke / Blood Clots
      • Stunted Growth
      • Tinnitus
      • Tremors
      • Uterine Rupture
      • Vitiligo
  • Disorders
    • Autism
    • Cardiovascular Disorder
    • Catatonia
    • Disorders of the Nervous System and Sensory Disorders
    • Epilepsy
    • Gastrointestinal Disorders
    • Immune, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
    • Musculoskeletal Disorders
    • Reproductive Health/Congenital Disorders
  • Drugs
    • A – H
      • Actos
      • Accutane
      • Avandia
      • Azasan
      • Budesonide
      • Chantrix
      • Crestor
      • Darvon
      • Elspar
      • Extenze
      • Farxiga
      • Fosamax
    • I – S
      • Invokana
      • Jardiance
      • Ketek
      • Lipitor
      • Oxycodone
      • Painkillers
      • Pradaxa
      • Propecia
      • Risperdal
      • Seroquel
      • Singulair
      • SSRIs
    • T – Z
      • Toradol
      • Trasylol
      • Viagra
      • Warfarin
      • Xyrem
      • Zelnorm
      • Zicam
      • Zocor
      • Zofran
      • Zyvox
  • Legal Assistance

DiseasesAndConditions.net

Information on the common diseases and conditions that may result as an unintended side effect from the use of certain drugs and medical devices. Click here to obtain further information and contact us for an initial legal consultation.

Gastrointestinal Disease: Pseudomembranous Colitis

September 24, 2007 By Diseases & Conditions

Pseudomembranous colitis is an infection of the colon usually caused by Clostridium difficilebacteria, although it can also be caused by other bacteria. It is characterized by fever, abdominal pain, and offensive-smelling diarrhea, but can progress to toxic megacolon (a serious complication that can result in perforation of the colon or invasion of the bloodstream by virulent bacteria), and even death.

Antibiotics that are active against a wide range of bacteria alter the normal bacterial flora of the bowel. As the competition of certain bacteria is killed off by these antibiotics, it can grow more readily. One such type of bacterium is the aforementioned Clostridium difficile, which elaborates a toxin responsible for the diarrhea characteristic of pseudomembranous colitis.

Although Clindamycin (Cleocin) is the antibiotic most commonly associated with the condition, most any antibiotic can cause it. A significant proportion of cases are attributed to cephalosporin antibiotics such as cephalexin and cefazolin. But because of the frequent use of this type of antibiotic, cephalosporins are not particularly more likely to cause pseudomembranous colitis than some other types of antibiotics.

Half of the cases of pseudomembranous colitis are not associated with risk factors. Diabetics, those recovering from recent major surgery, and the elderly, however, do seem to be more vulnerable. The use of ciproflocacin combined with a primary causative antibiotic such as clindamycin tends also to increase the mortality rate in those with the condition.

What often distinguishes those with pseudomembranous colitis from other antibiotic related diarrheal states is that the former tend to be lethargic and look sick. This may be due, in part, because blood tests often show that these patients have an elevated white blood cell count, low serum albumin, and anemia. Colonoscopies and sigmoidoscopies are still used to diagnose pseudomembranous colitis. But stool testing for some of the toxins produced by Clostridium difficile is now more commonly employed for initial diagnosis.

Treatment for pseudomembranous colitis usually includes discontinuation of the offending antibiotic, fluid replacement, other supportive care, and the introduction of either metronidazole (Flagyl) or vancomycin (Vancocin). Due to the expense of vancomycin and the risk of developing vancomycin-resistant organisms, the use of this antibiotic is often reserved for patients who relapse after metronidazole treatment.

Cholestyramine (Questran, Cholybar) may be used in combination with the primary treatment. This bile acid resin can be used to bind toxins produced by Clostridium difficile. Other treatments may include the use of the Saccharomyces boulardii yeast, kefir, or fecal bacteriotherapy.

If the infection cannot be controlled, a colectomy, or removal of the colon, may be required.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Gastrointestinal, Pseudomembranous Colitis

Recently Updated Drug Information

Opioid Epidemic

Methods of Fighting the Opioid Epidemic

According to a paper released by The Global Commission on Drug Policy, there are … Continue Reading

Popular Antibiotics Linked to Increased Risk of Aortic Dissection or Aneurysm

Blood is pumped from the heart to the rest of the body through the arteries. The … Continue Reading

SSRI Use in Pregnancy Increases the Risk of Autism

  New research, published on December 14, 2015, in JAMA Pediatrics … Continue Reading

Contact An Attorney

If you or a loved one is suffering from the side effects of medication or a medical device, or if you think you have been injured by a negligent medical professional, you may be able entitled to compensation. Get a free case evaluation by a qualified attorney.
  • * = Required
    Privacy Policy
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

RSS Recent US Recalls

  • Advantage Health Matters Inc Recalls “Organic Jumbo Pumpkin Seeds” Because of Possible Health Risk May 8, 2025
  • Delta Gas Ball Valves Recalled Due to Fire and Burn Hazards; Manufactured by Masco Canada May 8, 2025
  • Deuter Recalls Kid Comfort, Kid Comfort Pro and Kid Comfort Active Child Carriers Due to Fall Hazard May 8, 2025

About DiseaseAndCondtions.net

Although there are many websites online that offer medical information related to diseases and conditions, many of them are overly verbose, overly technical, or over-run with advertisements.

DiseasesAndCondtions.net seeks to improve the information available online about diseases, conditions, and disorders, as well as, medications, drugs, and medical devices, as it relates to your health and your legal rights.

Please use the navigation at the top of the site to find the information you're looking for.

Recent Updates

  • Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
  • Tinnitus
  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • Rickets
  • Hypophosphatemia

Search

Disclaimer: The information contained in these topics is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical or legal advice, it is provided for educational purposes only.

Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider about any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Nothing contained in these topics is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment.

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. The information provided on this website is not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by the use of this site. It is not stated or implied that a lawyer is certified as a specialist in any particular field of law. No results are guaranteed, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This site is informational, only, not dispositive; it is up to you to decide whether a particular lawyer is right for you. Contingency fee refers only to attorney’s fees; a client may incur or be liable for other costs or expenses. Use of this site is subject to your agreement to these
Altrumedia, LLC Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License · Site Map · Log in