title: Irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders: evaluating self-medication in an Asian community setting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal disorders frequently present symptoms which are often self-treated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To record demographic profile of patients visiting community pharmacies for self-treatment with medications for gastrointestinal disorders, the number of these patients who fulfilled irritable bowel syndrome diagnostic criteria, and to judge the appropriateness of their treatment requests.
  
  
  METHODS
  Singapore community pharmacies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The multicentre study was conducted using ROME III adapted criteria on adults above 18 years who have self-selected medicinal products for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome or gastrointestinal symptoms in the community pharmacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among those seeking self-medication, 36.8 % fulfilled criteria for irritable bowel syndrome, with irritable bowel syndrome-mixed (16.3 %) being the most prevalent subtype. For patients not fulfilling criteria for irritable bowel syndrome diagnosis, rates for other functional gastrointestinal disorders were constipation (20.5 %), dyspepsia (16.3 %), gastroesophageal reflux disease (12.1 %), diarrhoea (8.9 %), bloating (4.2 %), and heartburn (3.2 %). There were more females with gastrointestinal complaints. Overall, 21.6 % of the total participants had recently sought medical attention for their gastrointestinal complaint. 20 % of patients selected inappropriate medication for their gastrointestinal complaints, and the antacids class had the highest incidence of inappropriate medication use. Possible co-existing relationships were seen between gastroesophageal reflux disease with dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome with gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome with dyspepsia, and diarrhoea with constipation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients who fulfilled criteria for irritable bowel syndrome had a high tendency to self-treat their gastrointestinal symptoms. Constipation complaints were also common. Around one in five patients self-medicated gastrointestinal symptoms inappropriately, with antacids being the most common.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Practice Department, Guardian, 21 Tampines North Drive 2, #03-01, Singapore, 528765, Singapore. kua.chonghan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Chong-Han
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kua
authors.forename: Siow-Tian
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Reshma
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lhode
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.forename: Kok-Ann
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Gwee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs