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Diagnose and treat constipation- or diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome with confidence

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Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is diagnosed based on clinical criteria of regular abdominal pain and disordered defaecation. If first-line treatments such as lifestyle changes fail, patients with diarrhoea-predominant IBS may respond to rifaximin, eluxadoline or, for women, alosetron, if tolerated. For constipation-predominant IBS, options are tegaserod for younger women, and the secretagogues linaclotide, plecanatide, lubiprostone and tenapanor. As IBS is a gut–brain interaction disorder, neuromodulators such as tricyclic antidepressants may help.

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  1. Springer Nature, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, Auckland, 0754, New Zealand

    Caroline Fenton & Connie Kang

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  1. Caroline Fenton
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  2. Connie Kang
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Correspondence to Connie Kang.

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The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding.

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C. Fenton, a contracted employee of Adis International Ltd/Springer Nature, and C. Kang, a salaried employee of Adis International Ltd/Springer Nature, declare no relevant conflicts of interest. All authors contributed to the review and are responsible for the article content.

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Fenton, C., Kang, C. Diagnose and treat constipation- or diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome with confidence. Drugs Ther Perspect 38, 171–176 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-022-00906-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-022-00906-w

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