MEDICINES TAKEN BY PATIENTS WITH IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS).

Introduction: Many studies have evaluated the prescribed medicines taken by patients with lBS. However, there is a paucity of information about over-the-counter and complementary therapies taken. This study describes medicines taken by patients with lBS from a selfadministered diary and evaluates differences in medication taken by those referred to secondary care and those not referred. Method: A selfiselected group of patients with lBS (n = 595) submitted a structured 10 question daily diary for 6 months. The cohort was stratified by those who reported a referral to secondary care (n = 381) and those who did not report referral (n = 203) at baseline evaluation. Eleven patients could not be stratified and were excluded from analysis. Medicines taken at any time during the study period were evaluated and were defined as prescribed or non-prescribed (including herbal). Results: At any time over the study period 425 of 595 people took a "medicine". In total there were 1589 "medicines" taken, 1335 (84%) had a BNF identifiable ingredient. Of the 381 secondary care patients, 280 (73%) patients were taking "medicine". The majority of patients (58%) were taking an antispasmodic (161/280). Other medicines include laxatives (35%), antidiarrhoeals (29%), and analgesics (18%). There were 145 (71%) patients taking "medicines" of the 203 patients treated in primary care. The most frequently taken medicines were antispasmodics (75% 110/145), laxatives (36%), antacids (18%), and analgesics (14%). Herbal and non-prescribed therapies were used similarly proportion (31%) in each group (88/280 referred, 45/145 not referred) with Acidophilus, aloe vera and digestive salts being the most frequent. Conclusions: "Medicine" usage is similar whether or not lBS sufferers are managed in primary or secondary care. A larger proportion of patients treated in primary care took antispasmodics, but use of other medicines was similar. A significant number of lBS patients take non-prescribed or... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]