Table 1.

Factors commonly associated with the onset of constipation in the elderly [57–59]

Medical conditionsa	Medicationsa	Structural abnormalitiesb
Electrolyte disturbances	Analgesics (opioids, tramadol, NSAIDs)	Carcinomas (colon, rectum, pancreas, stomach)
Hypercalcemia	Antacids (calcium and aluminum)	Colonic stricture (ischemic, inflammatory)
Hypokalemia	Anticholinergics	Radiation fibrosis
Hypermagnesemia	Anticonvulsants	Surgical complications (adhesions)
Endocrine and metabolic disorders	Antihistamines
Diabetes mellitus	Antiparkinsonian drugs (dopaminergic agents)
Hypothyroidism	Antipsychotics (phenothiazine derivatives)
Hyperparathyroidism	Bile acid binders
Chronic renal disease	Calcium channel blockers
Myopathic disorders	Calcium supplements
Amyloidosis	Diuretics (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide)
Scleroderma	Iron supplements
Neurologic disorders	Tricyclic antidepressants
Autonomic neuropathy
Dementia
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinson disease
Spinal cord lesions
Other
Depression
General disability

NSAID nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug

^aFrom [57], reprinted by permission of Dove Medical Press Ltd.

^bData from Hutchison [58] and Woolery et al. [59]