Korean J Med.
2015 Jan;88(1):1-8. 10.3904/kjm.2015.88.1.1.
Conventional Laxatives
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
- 2Institute for Digestive Research, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. iman0825@naver.com
- 3Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 4Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
- 5Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
- 6Department of Internal Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea.
- 7Department of Gastroenterology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 8Department of Internal Medicine and Digestive Disease Research Institute, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
- 9Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 10Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- KMID: 2269162
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjm.2015.88.1.1
Abstract
- Based on published guidelines on the management of chronic constipation, secondary causes should be excluded and then patients should be told to increase their dietary fiber intake to 20-25 g per day. If these measures do not improve the symptoms, conventional laxatives are generally the next choice. Although there is limited evidence for the efficacy of these older laxatives due to a lack of well-designed clinical trials, most clinicians agree that they are effective at relieving the symptoms of constipation. Conventional laxatives include bulk-forming, osmotic, and stimulant laxatives. Bulking laxatives consist of fiber such as psyllium, cellulose, and bran. Osmotic laxatives are classified into sugar-based laxatives and polyethylene glycol. Bisacodyl and sodium picosulfate are stimulant laxatives. Understanding their mechanisms of action, efficacy, and side effects might improve the quality of life of patients suffering from chronic constipation.
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