Clinical Conditions

Prescription Medications Can Cause Dehydration

Multiple medical conditions can lead to dehydration, such as certain chronic conditions, bowel preparation for a colonoscopy, or fasting prior to medical or surgical procedures.
In addition, some prescription medications may cause dehydration as a side-effect, and/or indicate someone is at risk for dehydration:

These include:

• Diuretics
• Antibiotics for infectious diarrhea caused by bacteria
• Opioid antidiarrheal medications
• Drugs for conditions where vomiting/diarrhea and decreased fluid absorption is a problem, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
• Antiemetics
• Travel medications, including vaccines and Malaria preventatives
• Colchicines

Some over-the-counter products may also lead to dehydration and/or indicate someone is at risk of dehydration, including:

• Loperamide anti-diarrhea (e.g. Imodium)
• Antihistamines
• Histamines
• Bowel prep kits for colonoscopies

Do you regularly take any of these medications and/or suffer from a chronic condition such as IBS? Are you preparing for a surgical procedure or exam? Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how an oral electrolyte solution (Hydralyte) can help.