The abuse of anti-diarrhea drugs is giving some users a heroin-like high.

The Annals of Emergency Medicine recently published a study detailing the dangers of loperamide, the primary ingredient in Imodium, which is sold over-the counter.

Loperamide, an opioid, can cause serious heart problems if too much is ingested, the Food and Drug Administration warned Tuesday.

While the recommended dosage is between 8 milligrams and 16 milligrams per day, some people have taken as much as 300 mg in one sitting, CBS said. In addition, calls to national poison centers involving over-the-counter drugs such as Imodium climbed 71 percent between 2011 and 2014, that report said.

"Loperamide's accessibility, low cost, over-the-counter legal status and lack of social stigma all contribute to its potential for abuse," the Annals of Emergency Medicine said.

The authors of Tuesday's FDA report recommended restricting over-the-counter sales of the anti-diarrhea drugs, similar to other easily abused medications like pseudoephedrine, the decongestant used in Sudafed and other pills that can be processed into methamphetamine.

FDA regulators said in an online posting that they are monitoring the issue and considering next steps.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.