Table 10.

Medications that may cause constipation, and comorbidities predisposing to constipation, in older patients [71, 125–128]

Medications

Comorbidities

Antacids containing calcium or aluminium Anticonvulsants Antidepressants and psychotropic drugs (tricyclics, anticholinergics) Antiemetics (5-HT3 receptor antagonists) Antiparkinsonian drugs Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) Calcium antagonists Calcium-based compounds Diuretics Iron-containing drugs Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Paracetamol (acetaminophen)

Colorectal disease (congenital aganglionic megacolon, colonic obstruction, previous radiotherapy or surgery, postoperative rectal-anal stenosis), perianal abscess, haemorrhoids, anal fissures Endocrine-metabolic disorders (diabetes, hypothyroidism, chronic renal failure, metabolic hypercalcaemia) Fluid and electrolyte disorders (dehydration, absolute or relative hypovolaemia, hypokalaemia, hyponatraemia, hypercalcaemia) Myopathic disorders (amyloidosis, scleroderma) Neurological disorders (spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, autonomic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, dementia) Psychiatric-behavioural disorders (depression, laxative dependency, denial of defecation, anorexia, chronic psychoses)

5-HT 5-hydroxytryptamine