Irritable bowel syndrome

Overview

Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common disorder of gut–brain interaction. Global epidemiology places IBS prevalence at about 8.5% of adults, within an overall disorders-of-gut-brain-interaction burden above 40%.^[17] It consumes consultations, generates unnecessary investigations, and accumulates iatrogenic harm from reflexive colonoscopy and unsupervised elimination diets.

The conceptual shift that matters for fellowship practice is from exclusion to affirmation. Rome IV reframed these conditions as disorders of gut–brain interaction diagnosed positively on clinical criteria supported by a deliberately narrow test set. The GP's task is to diagnose confidently, subtype accurately, treat by subtype, and keep the red-flag radar running at every review.^[1][18]

References19ShowHide

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