Laxatives & Cathartics / Categories
Categories of agents that cause stool evacuation
-
there are two fundamental ways to classify laxatives and cathartics:Softening of feces
(1-3 days)Soft, semi-solid stool
(6-8 hours)Watery evacuation
(1-3 hours)
- according to EFFECT and LATENCY TO EFFECT:
- this scale ranges from mild effect/long latency (laxatives)
to strong effect/short latency (cathartics)
- this scale ranges from mild effect/long latency (laxatives)
- according to MECHANISM OF ACTION:
- Stool softeners
- Bulk forming laxatives
- Contact cathartics
- Osmotic cathartics
- Chloride channel activators: LINACLOTIDE, LUBIPROSTONE