[Drug-induced enterocolitis. Important differential diagnosis in the investigation of diarrhea and intestinal hemorrhage].

This article is a review of the side-effects of drugs affecting the small and large intestines. Pseudomembranous colitis is caused by antibiotics facilitating an overgrowth of Clostridium difficile. A hemorrhagic colitis, generally self-limiting, can be caused by penicillin, amoxycillin and ampicillin. Toxicity of NSAID may induce intestinal ulcers, diaphragm-like strictures, perforation, colitis and relapse of inflammatory bowel disease. Drug-induced lymphocytic colitis has been reported due to ticlopidine, Cyclo 3 Fort, and occasionally by ranitidine, carbamazepine, vinburnine, tardyferon, and flutamide. Sulphasalazine and 5-ASA can cause relapse of ulcerative colitis. Neutropenic enterocolitis is a severe complication to cytotoxic therapy for cancer. Ischemic colitis can be caused by drugs inducing mesenteric vasoconstriction.