Final answer:
Various medications can influence stool appearance, including drugs that interfere with cholesterol absorption and increase bile acid excretion, as well as treatments for intestinal diseases. These drugs may cause side effects like diarrhea and greasy stool.
Step-by-step explanation:
Medications that Influence Stool Appearance
Various medications can significantly influence the appearance of stools. For instance, medications like neomycin, clofibrate, nicotinic acid, and dextrothyroxine are known to increase fecal excretion of cholesterol and bile acids, which may result in changes to stool consistency and color. Antifungals and antibiotics like colistin can be given as oral treatment affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and may cause side effects like diarrhea or greasy stool. Furthermore, bowel decontaminants such as niclosamide may also alter stool characteristics due to their action on intestinal contents.
Medications can also cause gastrointestinal side effects including nausea, stomach cramps, gas, and dehydration in severe cases. These effects can directly lead to changes in stool such as looseness or more frequent passing of stools. For neonates, meconium constitutes the first stools; however, this is a natural process and not influenced by medications. Monitoring drug effects on stool appearances is vital in assessing side effects and the efficacy of treatments for gastrointestinal and systemic conditions.