Why do diarrhea medications worsen hus?

Worsens toxin: Antidiarrheal medications prevent the toxin that has triggered the hemolytic uremic syndrome (hus) to pass in the stool. E coli 0157 is strongly associated with hus. Likewise antibiotics are not recommended for treatment of hus either – although hus is a serious illness, the therapy is considered “supportive” until recovery.

Toxin absorption: Hus could be caused by bacteria like e.Coli 0157:h7 among others. The cause of the disease is not the bacteria, rather, it is the toxin secreted by the bacteria that gets absorbed causing the disease process. Blocking the diarrhea is thought to decrease the natural elimination process of both bacteria and toxin and, thereby, increasing toxin absorption into the blood.