A number of widespread drug lessons are recognized to gradual the digestive tract or in any other case make common bowel actions tougher, says Dr. Benson.
Opioid Ache Relievers
Opioids are prescription ache relievers used for average to extreme ache. Examples embody oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and fentanyl. “Opioids are in all probability the commonest prescription medicines that trigger constipation,” says Benson.
Blood Strain Medicines
Calcium channel blockers are used to decrease blood strain. Verapamil is one that may be notably constipating, says Benson.
“Calcium channel blockers lower calcium entry into a few of the clean muscle cells of the GI tract, and consequently, they lower colonic motility,” he says. In different phrases, they’ll gradual the contractions that push stool by means of the colon.
Antidepressants
Anticholinergics for Overactive Bladder and Different Issues
Anticholinergic medicine deal with situations together with overactive bladder and a few neurologic or gastrointestinal issues.
“These medicines block a chemical referred to as acetylcholine, and acetylcholine helps with intestine motility. For those who block that, it decreases intestine motility, which results in constipation,” says Benson.
Oxybutynin, a medicine for overactive bladder, is one instance of an anticholinergic that may trigger constipation, says Sarah Rhodes, PharmD, an assistant professor of medical science in Excessive Level College’s Fred Wilson Faculty of Pharmacy in North Carolina.
Ondansetron (Zofran) for Nausea and Vomiting
“If it’s prescribed often, it will possibly result in constipation as a result of it decreases motility,” Benson says.
