Loperamide reports of sometimes-fatal cardiotoxicity due to high-dose loperamide abuse have been published. Loperamide Loperamide, sold under the brand name Imodium, among others, is a medication used to decrease the frequency of diarrhea. It is often used for this purpose in gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and short bowel syndrome. It is not recommended for those with blood in the stool. The medication is taken by mouth. Common side effects include abdominal pain, constipation, sleepiness, vomiting, and a dry mouth. It may increase the risk of toxic megacolon. Loperamide's safety in pregnancy is unclear, but no evidence of harm has been found.
Loperamide 2-mg tablets was added to WHO Model List of Essential Medicines. It is sold as a generic medication and is not very expensive. The wholesale cost in the developing world is about US$0.004 to 0.040 a dose. In August 2016, the US retail cost is about US$0.31 per dose. In 2016, Imodium was one of the biggest-selling branded over-the-counter medications sold in Great Britain, with sales of £32.7 million. Loperamide was originally marketed as Imodium, and many generic brands are sold. Loperamide has typically been deemed to have a relatively low risk of misuse. In 2012, no reports of loperamide