Ds ~ a 4 S ; hoy | Be Careful What You Eat And Drink On Vacation (NAPSA)—Montezuma’s revenge. Tourista. Tut’s tummy. They’re all euphemisms for a common ailment that travelers may face. Each year, between 20 and 50 percent of international travelers—an estimated 10 million Americans—develop travelers’ diarrhea (TD). Onset usually occurs during the first week of travel, but can occur at any time during the trip—even after return- ing home. High-risk destinations are the developing countries of Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. People at particu- larly high risk for developing complications associated with TD include young adults, immunosuppressed people, people with inflammatory bowel disease or diabetes, and people taking H-2 Safe Foods/Drinks To Consume While Traveling Soft drinks that are carbonated. Hot drinks such as tea or coffee. Bottled water, as long as the seal is unbroken. e Raw fruits or vegetables that can be peeled—if you're the one whopeels them. Food that is served hot. Meatthatis well cooked. @ can make the difference of feeling better in a day, versus missing out on a few days of yourtrip,” said Bradley Connor, M.D., immediate past president, International Soci- ety for Travel Medicine. Before traveling, contact your E coli and other bacteria. Most physician or visit a travel clinic. In addition to taking a prescription for Xifaxan with you while travel- spread through the water and food risk for TD by practicing a few blockers or antacids. TD is most commonly caused by diarrhea-causing bacteria are supply. Fortunately, being careful about what you eat and drink can help reduce yourrisk of developing TD, the most common reason that travelers cut their vacations short. For travelers in high-risk areas, one treatment option is a nonsystemic, gastrointestinal (GI) selective antibiotic called Xifaxan ing, travelers can minimize their preventative measures. “While TD is usually only dis- ruptive to a vacation, thereis evidence to suggest that some afflicted with TD may develop a more serious condition known as post-infectious irritable bowel syn- drome,” added Connor. “It’s best to plan ahead, take a few precautions and think about health issues (rifaximin) tablets 200 mg. These tablets have been approved by the FDAfor treatment of patients >12 before you travel.” invasive strains of E coli. Xifaxan clear liquids to replace lost fluids If you find yourself stricken years old with TD caused by non- with diarrhea, drink plenty of has been used for over 19 years in other countries with over 500 mil- and electrolytes. For more information on TD, ask your physician or visit www.istm.org. lion tablets prescribed worldwide. “Treating travelers’ diarrhea Note to Editors: Important Safety Information—XIFAXAN(rifaximin) tablets are indicated for the treatment ofpatients (>12 years of age) with travelers’ diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli. XIFAXAN should not be used in patients with diarrhea complicated by fever or blood in the stool or diarrhea due to pathogens other than Escherichia coli. XIFAXAN should be discontinued if diarrhea symptoms get worse or persist more than 24-48 hours and alternative antibiotic therapy should be considered. In clinical trials, XIFAXAN was generally well tolerated. The most common side effects (vs. placebo) were flatulence: 11.3% (vs. 19.7%), headache: 9.7% (vs. 9.2%), abdominal pain: 7.2% (vs. 10.1%) and rectal tenesmus: 7.2% (vs. 8.8%). Consult www.salix.com for full prescribing information.
