title: Appropriate use of laxatives in the management of constipation.
abstract: Chronic constipation is a frequent complaint in clinical practice. It is usually amenable to laxatives, which are available with and without prescription. An overemphasis on evidence-based analysis and aggressive marketing of newly developed laxative agents has tilted the recommendations toward more expensive, but not necessarily more effective, agents. This review addresses each of the four classes of laxatives and provides suggestions about their appropriate use in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 600 Highland Avenue, H6/516 CSC, Madison, WI 53792-5124, USA. axw@medicine.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wald
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003248:Constipation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D054368:Laxatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D054368:Laxatives