Colonoscopy Prep in a Pill May Be Easier to Swallow

One reason many people dread a colonoscopy is the unpleasant preparation, which often requires that they drink a gallon of prescribed fluids to clear out their bowels before the procedure. But an industry-funded study suggests that a pill could negate the need for so much liquid.

Researchers from Henry Ford Hospital report that people preparing for the test were able to take a pill approved as a treatment for chronic constipation and avoid half of the liquid requirement.

In the study, 126 people took either the pill -- lubiprostone (Amitiza) -- or an inactive placebo. Those who took the combination of the pill and liquid were better able to tolerate the preparation than were those who drank a gallon of a mixture of polyethylene glycol and electrolytes, the study found.

"Most people say they don't want to have a colonoscopy because they find the preparation intolerable," the study's lead author, Dr. Chetan Pai, a gastroenterologist, said in a news release from the hospital. "If physicians are able to offer a better way to prep, I think this will encourage more people to get the colonoscopies that may save their lives."

Pai also pointed out that about 90 percent of colon cancer cases occur in people older than 50, an age group that tends to have an especially hard time drinking the gallon of liquid often prescribed for colonoscopy preparation.

The study, scheduled to be presented Sunday at the Digestive Diseases Week conference in New Orleans, was funded by the pill's manufacturer. Sucampo Pharmaceuticals.

SOURCE: Henry Ford Hospital, news release.

Zyban medication

Zyban is a medication designed to help smokers quit more easily than without the drug. It comes in a pill form. It does not contain nicotine

Zyban's history is interesting. Smokers who happened to be users of the anti-depression medication Wellbutrin (bupropion hydrochloride) often reported a lessening in the desire for cigarettes. Through further testing, the drug was found to be effective in treating the smoking addiction, and helping smokers quit. GlaxoSmithKline "repackaged" Wellbutrin and marketed it as the smoking-cessation drug Zyban.

Unlike nicotine patches or nicotine gum, Zyban does not put more nicotine into your body. If you use the patches or gum, you should stop smoking so that you don't "overdose" on nicotine. With Zyban, you continue to smoke when you first start taking the medication, eventually reaching a quit-date, and taking the drug for a period of time after quitting.

Before taking Zyban, smokers want to know what Zyban will do to make quitting easier. According to the results reported during clinical trials, "treatment with ZYBAN reduced withdrawal symptoms compared to placebo. Reductions on the following withdrawal symptoms were most pronounced: irritability, frustration, or anger; anxiety; difficulty concentrating; restlessness; and depressed mood or negative affect. Depending on the study and the measure used, treatment with ZYBAN showed evidence of reduction in craving for cigarettes or urge to smoke compared to placebo."

Zyban is not without side-effects. According the the Zyban website, "The most common side effects experienced with ZYBAN include dry mouth and difficulty sleeping. There are other risks associated with the use of ZYBAN, so it is important to talk to your healthcare professional to see whether ZYBAN is right for you. There is a risk of seizure associated with ZYBAN, which is increased in certain patients."

Zyban has proven more effective than placebo in clinical testing, with success rates ranging as high as 58% in one study. Most studies showed success rates at somewhere between 15%-25%. Long-term success rates are obviously on the lower end, as smokers tend to relapse after longer periods of time. Some studies included using Zyban in conjunction with nicotine patches.