Laxatives

Anthony Lembo, MD, Director of Research for Cleveland Clinic's Digestive Disease & Surgery Institute, discusses the diagnostic process for patients presenting with constipation; approaching management of patients with IBS-C and CIC; treatment options and recent therapeutic advances; health disparities; and important challenges of care.

A retrospective cohort study of U.S. veterans with advanced chronic kidney disease demonstrated that laxative use within the 2-year period before dialysis initiation did not significantly impact eGFR decline.

Senna and magnesium oxide both improved the frequency of bowel movements and may be effective for the treatment of constipation, according to study results.

Clinical practice guidelines issued last year recommended against routinely testing patients for Clostridioides difficile if they have received a laxative within the previous 48 hours. But recent study findings showed no difference in the rates or severity of C. difficile infection, or CDI, among patients who received laxatives compared with those who did not, and researchers cautioned that the recent guidance “[does not] allow room for clinical judgement” in determining if a patient is infected.