Irritable bowel syndrome is a very common disorder whose diagnosis has transitioned from a diagnosis of exclusion to one in which strict diagnostic criteria have been defined. In addition, medications specifically developed to treat IBS have recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), allowing physicians to treat symptom clusters rather than just individual symptoms.

Overview

This program will discuss current thinking in the pathophysiology and diagnostic criteria of IBS and treatment options for the different symptom clusters seen in this condition. It will discuss risk factors for IBS and populations that are at increased risk of developing this disease. The influence and derangement of enteric neurotransmitters, studies that have elucidated this neurotransmitter etiology and pharmacologic approaches to treat this neurotransmitter imbalance will be addressed. In addition, the role of diet and the impact of emotional factors will be discussed.

Audience

This program has been specifically developed to update and educate gastroenterologists and primary care physicians who provide care for people with irritable bowel syndrome.

Learning objectives

 Discuss the current data surrounding the epidemiology of irritable bowel syndrome

 Identify risk factors in the development of irritable bowel syndrome

 Identify current diagnostic criteria and work-up procedures for irritable bowel syndrome

 Discuss current theories regarding the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome

 Identify treatment options for different irritable bowel syndrome symptom clusters and different irritable bowel syndrome populations

Summary

This program presents epidemiology, current theories on the pathophysiology and recent updates on diagnostic criteria of IBS, and highlights available treatment.
 

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The discussion is moderated by
Peter Salgo MD

Faculty

Lawrence Schiller MD
(Program Chair)
Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine
University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine
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Lin Chang MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
UCLA School of Medicine
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Susan Lucak MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
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Joseph Sweeting MD
Professor of Clinical Medicine
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
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Faculty disclosure information

CME credit
The American Gastroenterological Association offers users in the United States continuing medical education (CME) credit for participating in this learning module.
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Accreditation statement

Topic overview: Pathophysiology of IBS
 

How does patient reluctance to discuss symptoms create an obstacle to diagnosis and treatment?
 

Faculty disclosure information

In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education Standards for Commercial Support, faculty members for this activity were each asked to complete financial disclosure forms. Disclosures are provided below.

Lin Chang MD
Consultant: GlaxoSmithKline Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Forest, Merck, Solvay Grant Support: AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Forest, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation Speakers' Bureau: GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Susan Lucak MD
Consultant: Forest Labs, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline Speakers' Bureau: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Lawrence Schiller MD
Company Advisory Board: Consultant: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Pfizer, Procter and Gamble, Centocor, Janssen, AstraZeneca, TAP Grant/Research Support: GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Solvay, Centocor, Elan, Procter and Gamble, Regeneron
Speakers' Bureau: Lectures: AstraZeneca, TAP, Janssen, Centocor, Procter and Gamble, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Braintree
Committee membership: American College of Gastroenterology
(Governor for North Texas); Chair, ad hoc Committee on Practice Parameters; Member, Research Committee; Member, Educational Affairs Committee; Member, Committee on Professional Affairs (Ethics); Texas Society for Gastroenterology and Endoscopy (Past President)

Joseph Sweeting MD
Nothing to disclose

Accreditation statement

The views expressed herein, while consistent with current medical literature, are solely those of the faculty.

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.

The AGA designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2 credit hours in Category 1 credit toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

All presenters participating in continuing medical education programs sponsored by the AGA are expected to disclose to the program audience any real or apparent conflict(s) of interest related to the content of their presentation. In addition, presenters and moderators are asked to make a reasonable effort to identify for the program audience any discussion of off-label or investigative use or application of a product or device that may occur during the educational presentation.

Funding for the development and production of the Diagnosis and Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome multimedia module was provided through an unrestricted educational grant from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.