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. SETTING: Singapore community pharmacies. METHOD: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.
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. SETTING: Singapore community pharmacies. METHOD: 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. CONCLUSION: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: Michel Amouretti; Claude Le Pen; Anne-Françoise Gaudin; Gilles Bommelaer; Jacques Frexinos; Philippe Ruszniewski; Thierry Poynard; Frédérique Maurel; Gaël Priol; Abdelkader El Hasnaoui Journal: Gastroenterol Clin Biol Date: 2006-02
Authors: San Choon Kong; David P Hurlstone; Charlotte Y Pocock; Lucy A Walkington; Nina R Farquharson; Michael G Bramble; Mark E McAlindon; David S Sanders Journal: J Clin Gastroenterol Date: 2005-02 Impact factor: 3.062