Summary
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal syndrome characterized by chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of an organic cause. One of the four subtypes is IBS with diarrhea, defined as loose or watery stools ≥25% of bowel movements and hard or lumpy stools ≤25% of bowel movements. The diagnostic approach to patients with IBS symptoms and no “alarm” signs includes a complete history and physical examination and a limited number of diagnostic studies to rule out organic illness.
The focus of treatment should be on symptom relief and addressing the patient’s concerns. The most important component is the establishment of a strong, therapeutic physician–patient relationship. Other elements include pateient education, dietary modifications, pharmacologic agents and, in selected patients, behavioral treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, and dynamic psychotherapy.
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Wald, A. (2010). Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In: Guandalini, S., Vaziri, H. (eds) Diarrhea. Clinical Gastroenterology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-183-7_19
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-183-7_19
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