Intestinal fluid retention

Intestinal fluid retention describes the abnormal accumulation or failed absorption of fluid within the intestine. It is a broad pathophysiological concept rather than a molecular or protein target. Intestinal fluid balance is tightly regulated by coordinated absorption and secretion by enterocytes, mainly determined by transport proteins such as sodium/hydrogen exchangers (NHEs), epithelial sodium channels (ENaC), and chloride channels (e.g., CFTR). Dysregulation, e.g., during inflammation, heart failure, liver cirrhosis, or specific transporter mutations, leads to symptoms such as diarrhea or edema. Many drugs (e.g., diuretics, oral rehydration solutions, NHE3 inhibitors like tenapanor) act by targeting specific molecular transporters to modulate fluid transport, but 'intestinal fluid retention' itself is not a direct drug target. Clinical diseases related to this process include edema, ascites, and various diarrheal or malabsorptive disorders.

Other names

Intestinal water retentiongut fluid retentionbowel fluid retention