VIDEO: Use ‘positive’ language to diagnose patients with IBS
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LAS VEGAS – In this video exclusive from the ACG Annual Scientific Meeting, Brian E. Lacy, MD, PhD, FACG, from Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, spoke about the steps to diagnosis irritable bowel syndrome.
“Be positive with the diagnosis, educate your patient, reassure your patient and don’t forget if you need to do tests it’s OK to start treatment early on,” Lacy said. “Don’t wait until all tests are done before you initiate treatment. Initiate treatment based on the predominant symptom.”
Lacy said diagnosing could be difficult sometimes because symptoms fluctuate over time and some conditions mimic IBS such as lactose intolerance, fructose intolerance and celiac disease. He noted conditions that mimic IBS can also “coexist” with IBS.
In addition, some patients require extensive testing and health care providers may not have read guidelines, Lacy said.
ACG recently published the first-ever guidelines for IBS. Lacy said these should be helpful tools for physicians diagnosing IBS.
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Lacy BE. Symposium: IBS Making the diagnosis. Presented at: ACG Scientific Annual Meeting; Oct. 22-27, 2021; Las Vegas (hybrid meeting).
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