Therapeutic strategy for the irritable bowel syndrome.

The major aims of medical therapy in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are: a) to ameliorate symptoms (pain, bowel movement abnormalities, bloating) and b) to improve psychological problems of the patients. The first step of IBS therapy is the diet. In fact some forms of IBS can be ascribed to food intolerance. When abdominal pain, meteorism and constipation are the main symptoms, treatment with high-fiber diet, antispastic and antimuscarinic drugs is indicated. Sometimes amitriptyline, an antidepressant which also shows anticholinergic and analgesic properties, can be helpful. When diarrhoea is prevalent, the most effective drug is represented by loperamide. If diarrhoea is related to meal ingestion, antispastic or antimuscarinic drugs can be successfully used. In the case of diarrhoea related to documented cholorrhoea, cholestyramine can be of benefit. Furthermore, there are some resistant cases, secondary to striking psychological problems that require sedatives and antidepressant drugs and sometimes, psycho and/or hypnotherapy.