Pharmacologic Agents that Enhance Elimination

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering pharmacologic agents that enhance bowel and urinary elimination, including laxatives, enemas, antidiarrheals, diuretics, potassium balance, and urinary tract infection medications.

Bulk-Forming Laxatives

High-fiber agents (such as psyllium) that pull fluid into the colon to enlarge stool bulk, thereby stimulating the urge to evacuate; considered the preferred choice for chronic constipation and must be taken with ample fluid to avoid obstruction.

Emollient Laxatives

Surfactant stool softeners (such as docusate sodium) that allow moisture and fat to penetrate feces, softening the mass to ease passage and reduce straining.

Hyperosmotic Laxatives

Medications (such as glycerin suppositories, lactulose, and polyethylene glycol) that pull fluid into the bowel from surrounding tissues, causing distention and stimulating peristaltic contractions; widely utilized for diagnostic bowel preparations.

Saline Laxatives

Osmotic agents containing magnesium salts (such as magnesium citrate and Milk of Magnesia) that draw water into the bowel lumen to produce rapid defecation for poisoning/overdose evacuation, diagnostic exams, or stool sampling.

Stimulant Laxatives

Bowel-irritating medications (such as senna and bisacodyl) that irritate the intestinal mucosa to directly trigger contractions and peristalsis; indicated for short-term relief of acute constipation and frequently cause abdominal cramping.

Hypotonic Enema

A cleansing enema composed of tap water that exerts physical pressure against bowel walls prior to fluid diffusing into the surrounding interstitial space.

Isotonic Enema

A physiological saline enema that prompts bowel evacuation solely through its presence and fluid volume within the colon.

Hypertonic Enema

A small-volume enema (such as a Fleet enema) that extracts fluid from surrounding tissues into the colon lumen to trigger defecation.

Soapsuds Enema

An enema formulated by adding castile soap to water, which intentionally irritates the intestinal mucosal lining to provoke peristalsis.

Oil Retention Enema

An enema that coats and lubricates the rectum, colon, and fecal mass to soften hard impactions and enable smoother passage.

Left Sims Position

The clinical lateral position recommended for enema administration, chosen to follow the anatomical configuration of the sigmoid colon and facilitate fluid flow.

Diphenoxylate with Atropine (Lomotil)

A prescription antidiarrheal combination containing a Schedule V synthetic opioid that binds intestinal receptors to decelerate peristalsis, formulated with subtherapeutic atropine to deter intentional abuse.

Loperamide (Imodium)

An over-the-counter opioid-related antidiarrheal agent that decreases gastrointestinal motility and suppresses peristalsis, allowing heightened water absorption to firm stool; contraindicated in cases of infection, toxins, blood in stool, or fever.

Probiotics (Lactobacillus)

Cultures of beneficial bacteria administered to replenish the normal gastrointestinal microflora and suppress pathogenic organisms, notably during or after antibiotic therapy.

Loop Diuretics

The most potent class of diuretics (exemplified by furosemide/Lasix) that inhibits sodium reabsorption in the kidneys to manage congestive heart failure, edema, and hypertension; requires strict intake/output tracking and monitoring for hypokalemia.

Thiazide Diuretics

The most widely prescribed first-line diuretic class for hypertension (exemplified by hydrochlorothiazide/HCTZ) that reduces renal salt and water reabsorption while dilating vascular beds.

Potassium-Sparing Diuretics

Mild diuretics (exemplified by spironolactone/Aldactone) that function as aldosterone antagonists, prompting renal excretion of water and sodium while conserving potassium; introduces risk of hyperkalemia.

Serum Potassium Normal Range

The standard physiological blood concentration of potassium ions, defined as $3.5 - 5.0\,mEq/L$.

Hypokalemia

A serum potassium level dropping below $3.5\,mEq/L$, presenting clinically with fatigue, nausea/vomiting, muscle weakness, paresthesias, and dysrhythmias.

Hyperkalemia

A serum potassium level rising above $5.0\,mEq/L$, presenting clinically with muscle weakness, dysrhythmias, and neuromuscular paralysis.

Cystitis

An infectious inflammatory condition situated in the urinary bladder, classified as a lower urinary tract infection.

Pyelonephritis

An infection involving one or both kidneys, categorized as an upper urinary tract infection.

Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim)

A synergistically acting oral sulfonamide antibiotic combination used for urinary tract infections that arrests bacterial proliferation by blocking folic acid biosynthesis.

Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid)

An antibiotic for urinary tract infections that becomes concentrated inside the renal tubules to exert local antibacterial effects rather than systemic distribution; frequently discolors urine dark.

Phenazopyridine (Pyridium)

A urinary tract analgesic prescribed to alleviate burning, pain, and urgency; provides no antibacterial effect against infection and harmlessly discolors urine red or orange.