Abstract Constipation is a highly prevalent and bothersome disorder that negatively
affects patients’ social and professional lives and places a great economic
burden on both patients and national health services. An accurate
determination of the prevalence of constipation is difficult because of the
various definitions used, but many epidemiological studies have shown that
it affects up to 20% of the population at any one time. Although constipation
is not a physiological consequence of normal aging, decreased mobility and
other co-morbid medical conditions may contribute to its prevalence in older
adults. Functional constipation is diagnosed when no secondary causes can
be identified.
Patients have some unusual beliefs about their bowel habits. Systematic
attention to history, examination and investigation, especially in older people,
can be highly effective in resolving problems and in enhancing quality
of life.
There is a considerable range of treatment modalities available for patients
with constipation, but the clinical evidence supporting their use varies widely.
However, if constipation is not managed proactively, patients can experience
REVIEW ARTICLE Drugs Aging 2009; 26 (6): 469-474
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ª 2009 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved.
negative consequences, such as anorexia, nausea, bowel impaction or bowel
perforation.
The clinical benefits of various traditional pharmacological and nonpharmacological
agents remain unclear. The first steps in the treatment of
simple constipation include increasing intake of dietary fibre and the use of a
fibre supplement. Patients with severe constipation or those unable to comply
with the recommended intake of fibre may benefit from the addition of
laxatives. More recently, newer agents (e.g. tegaserod and lubiprostone), have
been approved for the treatment of patients with chronic constipation.
Additional work is needed to determine what role, if any, these agents may
play in the treatment of patients with chronic constipation.
The purpose of this review is to identify evidence-based interventions for
the prevention and management of constipation in the elderly.
Constipation is a general term used to describe
difficulties in defecation. It is often considered a
banal medical problem, but it can have a substantial
impact on quality of life.[1] Its prevalence
varies widely. On average, about 12% of adults
complain of constipation, ranging from 5% in
Germany to 18% in the US,[2] and the numbers
increase with age.[3] Constipation is more common
among women, the lower socio-economic
classes and those living in rural areas.[4]
Resource consumption for constipation places
an enormous burden on healthcare systems in
terms of medical visits, gastrointestinal procedures,
laboratory tests and drugs.[5] It is estimated
that patients in the UK make about
500 000 visits per year to their doctors for this
complaint[6] and that there are about 2.5 million
such visits in the USA every year.[7]
Although there is no universally accepted
definition of constipation in clinical practice,
the following have been proposed: difficulty in
passing faeces or fewer than three evacuations
per week.[8] The Rome III classification[9] refers
to functional constipation when patients have no
organic causes but present with two or more of
the symptoms listed in table I.
Patients and doctors tend to define constipation
differently. In a study by Herz et al.,[10] about
half of the patients evaluated gave a different
definition to that given by the doctor. Many patients
consider themselves constipated if they
have difficulty expelling hard faeces or starting
defecation, if they cannot evacuate when they
want, have a feeling of incomplete evacuation
and/or suffer cramps or bloating.[11] A US review
of the epidemiology of constipation noted that
patients complained of constipation considerably
more frequently than would have been expected
from the proceedings of the Rome consensus
conference.[12]
Although constipation is not a physiological
consequence of aging, many age-related problems
such as reduced mobility, co-morbidities,
changes in diet and drug use can contribute to
increased prevalence of the disorder among the
elderly.
1. Causes of Constipation
Constipation may be primary or secondary,
and a detailed medical history and careful objective
examination are essential to exclude specific
causes. In the absence of precise guidelines about
what examinations should be carried out, these
should be selected on the basis of clinical needs.
Table I. Symptoms of constipation (involving 25% or more of
evacuations)
Fewer than three evacuations/week
Straining
Hard, lumpy faeces
Sensation of incomplete evacuation
Sensation of ano-rectal obstruction or blockage
Need for digital manoeuvres (e.g. digital evacuation, supporting the
pelvic floor) to facilitate evacuation
470 Spinzi et