Gastroenterology | Constipation & Laxatives

🍐 In this episode of PodBites, Habiba Othman and Hayaa Elsherif guide you through constipation — from diagnostic criteria to laxative pharmacology — using clinical reasoning, physiologic mechanisms, and high-yield treatment principles.

🎙️ Tune in to explore:

• The clinical definition of constipation and the Rome IV diagnostic criteria
• The Bristol Stool Chart and how stool form reflects transit time
• The physiology of defecation and the role of autonomic innervation and interstitial cells of Cajal
• Functional, structural, neurologic, metabolic, and medication-induced causes of constipation
• The stepwise diagnostic approach, including alarm features and specialized testing
• First-line management with lifestyle modification and when pharmacologic therapy is needed
• Laxative classes, including bulk, stimulant, osmotic, stool softeners, and lubricants
• Special agents like lactulose and lubiprostone and their clinical indications

🌟 A structured, high-yield guide to understanding constipation, helping you connect physiology, diagnosis, and treatment with confidence.§