Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disorder that affects approximately 8% to 20% of the populations of industrialized countries. In most countries the majority of patients seeking health care services for IBS are women. During the past 10 years there has been a remarkable growth in both basic and clinical research on IBS. At the same time, new drugs are currently under investigation for their efficacy in the management of IBS. This review is intended to cover the current research related to the etiology and pathophysiology of IBS, as well as the diagnosis and management of this condition. Because nurses are frequently at the forefront of assessing and managing patients with this condition, nursing care issues are addressed.