Recognize and treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Explanation:

Typically presents with crampy abdominal pain usually relieved with passing of flatus or a B.M. Symptoms do not wake the patient from sleep, are not associated with nausea, vomiting, blood in the stool, or weight loss.

Perform sigmoidoscopy, Guiac on stool and ESR in everyone. In the elderly, exclude Malignancy.

Treatment is difficult. In the constipated patient with IBS, the new treatment Tegaserod (Zelnorm) is helpful. Reassurance must be offered. Anticholinergic drugs may help.