skip to main content

Paediatric gastroenteritis — GPhC CRA MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardGastro-intestinal TherapeuticsPaediatric gastroenteritisGPhC CRA

A care-home resident develops profuse diarrhoea and abdominal tenderness during clindamycin treatment. Staff ask the pharmacist for loperamide while awaiting a clinician call. Which advice best follows NICE guidance for suspected C. difficile infection?

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

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C — Withhold loperamide and arrange same-day clinical review

Suspected C. difficile requires assessment of severity and risk factors, fluid management, and review of the precipitating antibiotic, which should be stopped unless essential. NICE explicitly advises against antimotility medicines such as loperamide because slowing transit may retain toxin and worsen illness. Probiotics are not recommended to prevent C. difficile, while indiscriminate cessation of essential medicines and substitution with another opioid antimotility drug are unsafe.

Reference: NICE NG199: Clostridioides difficile infection. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng199/chapter/Recommendations