Your Health

A New Colonoscopy Preparation: Options Available To Aid Test Preparation

Posted 2/18/2011

(NAPSI) - With colorectal cancer being the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States after lung canceri, having a regular colonoscopy would be a no-brainer, right? Wrong! Despite the fact that, many times, colon cancer can be preventedii, many people are not getting tested and only about four out of 10 are diagnosed at the early stage, when treatment is most likely to be successfulii.

Many studies have shown that patients don’t like the preparationiii, but thanks to a variety of products, patients have several options. For example, SUPREP® Bowel Prep Kit (sodium sulfate, potassium sulfate and magnesium sulfate) Oral Solution (17.5g/3.13g/1.6g) per 6 ounces, recently approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), is an osmotic laxative indicated for cleansing of the colon as a preparation for colonoscopy in adults. SUPREP Bowel Prep Kit is administered as a split-dose regimen over two days. The most common adverse reactions (>2%) are overall discomfort, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and headache. SUPREP Bowel Prep Kit should be used with caution in patients who are at risk of fluid and electrolyte abnormalities, arrhythmias, seizures and renal impairment. SUPREP Bowel Prep Kit should also be used with caution in patients with renal insufficiency and in patients at risk for aspiration.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

i National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet. Available At: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/colorectal-screening

ii American Cancer Society, Learn About Cancer, Colon/Rectum Cancer. Available At: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ColonandRectumCancer/MoreInformation/five-myths-about-colorectal-cancer

iii Summers, R., The Elephant in the Room: Bowel Preparation for CT Colonography Editorial for Academic Radiology article 08410R1, Acad Radiol. 2009 July; 16(7): 777-779.