Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 Mar;25(1):12-9.
doi: 10.1055/s-0032-1301754.

Medical management of constipation

Meredith Portalatin  1 , Nathaniel Winstead
Affiliations

Medical management of constipation

Meredith Portalatin et al. Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2012 Mar.

Abstract

Constipation is a common clinical problem. Initial management of chronic constipation should include lifestyle maneuvers, and increased fiber and fluids. Polyethylene glycol, sodium picosulfate, bisacodyl, prucalopride, lubiprostone, and linaclotide were all more effective than placebo for treating chronic idiopathic constipation. Many commonly used agents lack quality evidence supporting their use.

Keywords: 5-ht4 agonists; constipation; fiber; laxatives; osmotic agents; polyethylene glycol.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. DiPalma J A. Current treatment options for chronic constipation. Rev Gastroenterol Disord. 2004;4(Suppl 2):S34–S42. - PubMed
    1. Meshkinpour H, Selod S, Movahedi H, Nami N, James N, Wilson A. Effects of regular exercise in management of chronic idiopathic constipation. Dig Dis Sci. 1998;43(11):2379–2383. - PubMed
    1. Young R J, Beerman L E, Vanderhoof J A. Increasing oral fluids in chronic constipation in children. Gastroenterol Nurs. 1998;21(4):156–161. - PubMed
    1. Locke G R, Pemberton J H, Phillips S F. AGA medical position statement: guidelines on constipation. Gastroenterology. 2000;119(6):1761–1766. - PubMed
    1. Voderholzer W A, Schatke W, Mühldorfer B E, Klauser A G, Birkner B, Müller-Lissner S A. Clinical response to dietary fiber treatment of chronic constipation. Am J Gastroenterol. 1997;92(1):95–98. - PubMed