Clinical QuickieLiver/GI
Constipation
Treat the pattern — and look for the reason it changed.
Define what constipation means for this patient
Frequency, stool form, straining, incomplete evacuation, pain, and baseline pattern matter more than a universal stool-count rule.
Review secondary causes
Opioids, anticholinergics, iron, calcium, dehydration, immobility, hypothyroidism, hypercalcemia, neurologic disease, and pelvic-floor dysfunction are common contributors.
Choose therapy by mechanism
Fiber, osmotic agents, stimulant laxatives, secretagogues, and opioid-specific therapies have different roles.
Red flags change the workup
New severe constipation with vomiting/distention, GI bleeding, anemia, weight loss, fever, or obstruction symptoms should not be managed as routine constipation.
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