Have you been diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy (HE)? Various symptoms of this disease include lack of focus, confusion, and personality changes. Some treatments have been well-established as effective. However, others like over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and home remedies might also help to effectively treat HE. As always, it’s important to know the pros, cons, and side-effects of such treatments. Just because a remedy is non-prescription doesn’t mean there aren’t any possible risks. In this article, let’s explore Xifaxan, hepatic encephalopathy, and how this medicine can help with the said health condition.
What Exactly Is Xifaxan?
Xifaxan is an antibiotic that treats bacterial infections within the intestines. It’s often used to treat “travelers’ diarrhea” and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It’s also used to treat other conditions like HE. Before taking this medicine as a HE treatment it’s critical to know factors like method, dosage, and possible side-effects. This can help to provide the best results. It’s also critical to know that any scientific studies don’t about the medicine’s effectiveness for treating different conditions like hepatic encephalopathy. This can help to determine whether there are lots, little, or no proof it can effectively treat the symptoms.
It’s important to know the basics of this medicine before you use it for treating different health conditions like HE. Xifaxan is an antibiotic that treats bacterial infection located in the patient’s intestines. It’s also known as “Rifaxamin.”
Uses Of Xifaxan
Xifaxan is used to treat various kinds of conditions. They include the condition known as “travelers’ diarrhea.” It’s caused by the bacteria E. coli. This infection is caused by ingesting food/drinks that are contaminated with E. coli bacteria.
IBS can also be treated with Xifaxan. This is also a health condition that’s related to diarrhea. It’s triggered by various factors like stress and diet.
HE can also be treated with medicine. It’s used to lower the chance of brain function decline among adults with liver cirrhosis complications. When the liver doesn’t function properly it’s unable to remove toxins, which results in HE.
Direction For Use And Caution
Before taking this medicine it’s important to know about possible side-effects and risks. For example, you shouldn’t take Xifaxan if you’re allergic to certain medicines. You should also inform your doctor if you have liver disease or diarrhea with fever before you start taking the medicine.
Xifaxan might help to improve symptoms before the infection clears up completely. It’s important to note that this medicine won’t treat certain conditions. They include virus-caused diarrhea, common cold, and flu. You should also inform your doctor if your symptoms aren’t reduced within 24 hours.
It’s also important to know about the possible side-effects of this medicine. Some possible ones include hives, breathing problems, and swelling (face/tongue/throat). These could be allergic reactions to the medicine.
You should also inform your doctor of any medicines/supplements you’re taking now. He/She can determine if Xifaxan might cause any “interactions” when combined with them. These can cause unwanted side-effects and it’s important to know about them before you start treating HE or other conditions with Xifaxan.
Xifaxan: Hepatic Encephalopathy Prevention
Xifaxan is sometimes used to prevent hepatic encephalopathy (HE). This condition is related to a late-stage liver disease known as liver cirrhosis. This is Stage 3 of liver disease and involves major tissue scarring that affects liver function.
HE causes various symptoms. They include reduced brain function that causes symptoms like lack of focus and confusion. It can also affect physical movement and even result in comas. Health experts believe that gut toxins are closely linked to HE symptoms.
The treatment strategies for HE focus on reducing ammonia and other gut toxins. There’s also a focus on treating conditions that trigger HE symptoms. The standard treatment for HE is a medicine that’s believed to reduce the body’s ammonia absorption.
Xifaxan is an antibiotic that’s slightly absorbed. It’s believed it might reduce the body’s ammonia production. That’s by reducing ammonia-making bacteria. Several small studies show that the antibiotic is effective in treating HE.
The body also seems to tolerate the drug effectively. Various studies have been done to test the effectiveness of the antibiotic in preventing HE from returning. In one study the Xifaxan had a nearly 60% drop in HE. There was also a 50% drop in HE-related hospitalizations within 6 months. In fact, the side-effects were also similar to the fake pills.
In March 2010 the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved Xifaxan for lowering the risk of HE. Many health experts recommend that patients with a history of HE take Rifaximin in order to lower the risk of HE and other related symptoms.
It’s important to talk to your doctor about whether Xifaxan is a practical treatment to treat your HE. There are some cases when it’s a good option and others when there are better options. Your doctor can also determine if it’s a safe option based on the medicines/supplements you’re taking now.
