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Pharmacology · single question

A patient on clindamycin develops significant diarrhea with 3 days of the course remaining. What should you do?

  1. Add an antidiarrheal and continue the antibiotic
  2. Discontinue the clindamycin and refer to a physician
  3. Double the remaining doses to shorten the course
  4. Tell the patient to finish the course as prescribed
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. Discontinue the clindamycin and refer to a physician

  • A. Antimotility agents can worsen C. difficile colitis by retaining toxin and precipitating toxic megacolon.
  • B. Correct. Clindamycin carries the highest risk of Clostridioides difficile-associated colitis. Stop the drug and refer for evaluation and stool testing — untreated pseudomembranous colitis can be life-threatening.
  • C. Increasing the dose intensifies the exact adverse effect that has appeared.
  • D. Completing the course risks progression to fulminant colitis.

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