Table 3.
Medication use by IBS-D severity
| N (%) | Mild IBS-D (n = 124) | Moderate IBS-D (n = 158) | Severe IBS-D (n = 193) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Types of medication used over the past 12 monthsa | |||
| Antidiarrhoeal | 94 (76) | 124 (78) | 167 (87)*† |
| Antispasmodic | 71 (57) | 99 (63) | 112 (58) |
| Analgesic | 17 (14) | 27 (17) | 33 (17) |
| Codeine-based painkiller | 18 (15) | 28 (18) | 43 (22) |
| Antidepressant | 14 (11) | 25 (16) | 38 (20)* |
| Other | 9 (7) | 11 (7) | 15 (8) |
| Current medication useb | |||
| OTC medication only | 59 (48) | 66 (42) | 75 (39) |
| Prescription and OTC medication | 30 (24) | 46 (29) | 69 (36)* |
| Prescription medication only | 35 (28) | 46 (29) | 49 (25) |
*p < 0.05 vs patients with mild IBS-D; †p < 0.05 vs patients with moderate IBS-D.
aBased on responses to the question: ‘Which of the following have you taken in the past 12 months for your IBS?’
bBased on responses to the question: ‘Do you take either of the following to help manage your IBS?’
IBS irritable bowel syndrome; IBS-D diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome; OTC over-the-counter