Tratamiento actualizado de la colitis pseudomembranosa

Abstract

Introduction: Pseudomembranous colitis is a serious disease that affects the colon and is frequently caused by Clostridium Difficile, which causes intestinal inflammation and pseudomembrane formation. In recent years, this pathology has been on the rise, being considered a health problem since the COVID-19 pandemic, given the number of hospitalized patients with a deficient immune system plus indiscriminate administration of antibiotics. Objective: To determine the pharmacological treatment and surgical indications currently applied in pseudomembranous colitis by compiling information obtained from bibliographic articles in order to reduce its incidence and recurrence in the population. Conclusions: Pseudomembranous colitis is caused by the excessive use of antibiotics, which depresses the immune system and provokes the appearance of clostridium difficile, an anaerobic bacillus that alters the bacterial flora, given its capacity to produce toxins that damage intestinal cells, causing diarrhea in mild cases and in more severe cases toxic megacolon. The recommended treatment is to discontinue antibiotics, use fidaxomicin or vancomycin orally according to the patient's clinical picture and consider additional treatments in case of recurrence such as fecal bacteriotherapy. In severe cases, surgical intervention such as colectomy may be necessary.