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Published in: Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology 3/2017

01-09-2017 | Intractable Disease in the Elderly: When Conventional Therapy Fails (S Katz, Section Editor)

Intractable Constipation in the Elderly

Authors: Noemi Baffy, MD, MPH, Amy E. Foxx-Orenstein, DO, Lucinda A. Harris, MD, Susan Sterler, RN

Published in: Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology | Issue 3/2017

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Opinion statement

Chronic constipation is a common gastrointestinal disorder disproportionately affecting the elderly. Immobility, polypharmacy, and physiologic changes contribute to its increased prevalence in this population. Unidentified and undertreated constipation leads to a significant negative impact on quality of life and an increase in healthcare spending. Careful physical examination and exploration of the clinical history can unmask primary and secondary forms of constipation, guiding diagnostic and therapeutic considerations. Non-pharmacologic treatment options include bowel training and biofeedback as well as the addition of fiber. Laxatives are safe and can be used long term; thus, they remain the mainstay of therapy. Newer agents with specific physiologic targets have proven to be effective in adults with chronic constipation, but data is lacking for safety profile in the elderly. Consideration for surgery in medically refractory cases should be entertained, while use of neuromodulation is not ready for prime time. This is a review of the currently available treatment options for chronic constipation in adults and specifically tailored towards the elderly.
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Metadata
Title
Intractable Constipation in the Elderly
Authors
Noemi Baffy, MD, MPH
Amy E. Foxx-Orenstein, DO
Lucinda A. Harris, MD
Susan Sterler, RN
Publication date
01-09-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology / Issue 3/2017
Print ISSN: 1092-8472
Electronic ISSN: 1534-309X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11938-017-0142-2

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