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Loperamide red flags — GPhC CRA MCQ

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EasyGastro-intestinal TherapeuticsLoperamide red flagsGPhC CRA

A 43-year-old man asks to buy loperamide for diarrhoea. He has had six bloody stools today, abdominal pain and a temperature of 38.5°C after returning from travel. He is otherwise healthy. What would you advise the patient?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: A — Do not use loperamide and seek urgent medical advice

Loperamide is unsuitable when diarrhoea is associated with blood, fever or suspected invasive infection. These features require medical assessment and hydration advice. Antimotility treatment can worsen some infective diarrhoeal illnesses.

Reference: BNF; NICE CKS