Safety and tolerability of tegaserod in irritable bowel syndrome management.

OBJECTIVES

To discuss the need for safe and effective therapy for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to provide up-to-date information on the safety and tolerability profile of tegaserod, a novel treatment for women with IBS whose primary bowel symptom is constipation.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed and abstracts from gastroenterology conferences were searched through October 2003 using the following search terms: irritable bowel syndrome, IBS, tegaserod, cisapride, alosetron, systematic review, safety, tolerability, serotonin, 5-HT, 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, and 5-HT4 receptor agonist; all information on the safety and tolerability of tegaserod published up to October 2003 is included.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A comprehensive review of the medical literature (through 2001) finds no adequate therapies that address the multiple symptoms of IBS. Traditional agents, although occasionally effective, often cause adverse effects. Tegaserod, a selective serotonin type 4 receptor (5-HT4) partial agonist, overcomes a number of obstacles associated with traditional therapies. Important information for pharmacists about the safety and tolerability of tegaserod is presented.

CONCLUSION

Tegaserod is effective in treating multiple IBS symptoms in women with IBS whose primary bowel symptom is constipation, and it is safe and well tolerated.