Cholestyramine Therapy for Quinidine-Induced Diarrhea

Abstract

The effective use of quinidine as an antiarrhythmic agent is frequently curtailed by one of its most common side effects—relentless diarrhea. Seven patients are described in whom diarrhea was quickly and completely controlled by the use of cholestyramine resin. To date, this is the only therapy reported to be effective for this purpose. It has proven to be safe, well tolerated, and continuously effective in these cases.