Table 1.

Common Medical Conditions Associated With Constipation

Cause	Comments
Drug effects	See Supplementary Table 1
Mechanical obstruction: colon cancer, external compression from malignant lesion, strictures (diverticular or post ischemic), rectocele (if large), megacolon, anal fissure	Often associated with alarm clinical features or laboratory tests, apparent on digital rectal examination (fissure) or x-ray image of the abdomen, or preceded by the primary event (diverticulitis)
Metabolic conditions: diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hypercalcemia, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, uremia, heavy metal poisoning, uremia, heavy metal poisoning	All are associated with/can be diagnosed by abnormal results from laboratory tests, which should be performed only when there is a high index of suspicion (such as in patients on diuretics)
Myopathies: amyloidosis, scleroderma	Typically associated with other clinical features of these conditions
Neuropathies: Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury or tumor, cerebrovascular disease, and multiple sclerosis	Constipation, either due to slow colon transit and/or DD, is common in patients with these disorders, which have many other features
Other conditions: depression, degenerative joint disease, autonomic neuropathy, cognitive impairment, immobility, cardiac disease	The disorder and/or medications may contribute to constipation