Intractable diarrhea is best described as which of the following?

• A. Acute diarrhea
• B. Chronic diarrhea that is hard to control
• C. Diarrhea due to infection
• D. Self-limiting diarrhea

Answer: (B)

Intractable diarrhea means a diarrhea that persists over time and cannot be controlled with standard therapies; it’s essentially chronic and treatment-resistant. This signals a longer-lasting problem that doesn’t respond to usual measures, prompting a deeper workup for underlying causes such as inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption, pancreatic insufficiency, or medication-induced diarrhea, along with more intensive management and nutritional support. It is not simply a short, temporarily bothersome illness, nor a diarrhea caused by an infection that would typically improve with targeted treatment, and it is not self-limiting, which would resolve without ongoing intervention.