The low down on Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common referral to a gastroenterologist.The prevalence is between 14% to 24% in women and 5% to 19% in men in the US and Britain. It cost US $1.6 billion in 1998 mostly in medication and diagnostic tests.

While volumes have been written, which make stimulating reading, on the pathogenesis of IBS namely brain gut neural dysfunction, visceral hypersensitivity, sympathetic and parasympathetic imbalance, role of gut infection etc., purpose of this review is to focus on practical management of IBS.

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To stop or not to stop Clopidogrel, to bridge or not to bridge Warfarin, that is the question: Antithrombotic Therapy and Endoscopy.

There is increasing use of warfarin and antiplatelet agents in the aging population for various indications. These patients are often referred for endoscopy for investigation of abdominal pain, dyspepsia, change of bowel habit, family history of bowel cancer, positive faecal occult blood, anaemia, polyp surveillance etc.

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