Constipation. Diagnosis and treatment.

Chronic constipation, the number one gastrointestinal complaint in the United States, is a serious condition that affects patient quality of life and accounts for the annual expenditure of millions of dollars by affected individuals, many of whom attempt to self-manage their condition. Because constipation has varied etiologies and treatment modes, it is imperative for the family nurse practitioner to know options for patients. Constipation complaints can indicate multiple diseases, and such patients can be among the most difficult diagnostic and therapeutic problems in clinical practice. Two of the primary care provider's duties to these patients are to educate them about bowel habits and to explain how different medications may either aid or exacerbate their symptoms. Constipation is a universal affliction of Western civilization. In the United States, this malady accounts for more than 2.5 million physician visits per year, is among the most frequent reasons for self-medication, and is particularly troublesome in the elderly population. Americans spend more than $725 million annually on over-the-counter (OTC) laxatives in an attempt to self-treat the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the country.