The role of community pharmacists in optimising patient self-management of constipation: an inter-disciplinary consensus view

Constipation is a common gastrointestinal disorder that may occur as occasional (acute) episodes, but can also persist over longer periods of time. Patients usually self-diagnose and self-manage constipation with over-the-counter (OTC) medications, so in terms of medical advice/consultation, the pharmacist is often the first point of contact. Patients’ self-management of constipation helps to free up primary care resources to focus on more complex conditions. However, there is no clear guidance on the appropriate, practice-oriented approach to, and the limitations of, self-management of constipation. The objective of this article is to provide up-to-date clinical practice guidance for healthcare professionals, particularly community pharmacists, to assist in the day-to-day management of patients who present with constipation. Here, we discuss typical clinical factors (e.g. symptom duration, warning symptoms and treatment response) that help to distinguish whether constipation can be self-managed or if further medical assessment is required. We have also developed screening questions and a patient management algorithm to help pharmacists and pharmacy technicians make appropriate decisions when a patient presents with symptoms of constipation or requests advice after initiation of OTC medications.