Open AccessDiverticular disease: A therapeutic overview
Author(s) -
Antonio Tursi
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
world journal of gastrointestinal pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2150-5349
DOI - 10.4292/wjgpt.v1.i1.27
Subject(s) - medicine , diverticulosis , diverticular disease , bloating , abdominal pain , disease , mesalazine , constipation , diarrhea , diverticulitis , nausea , inflammatory bowel disease , gastroenterology , irritable bowel syndrome
Formation of colonic diverticula, via herniation of the colonic wall, is responsible for the development of diverticulosis. When diverticulosis becomes symptomatic, it becomes diverticular disease. Diverticular disease is common in Western and industrialized countries, and it is associated with numerous abdominal symptoms (including pain, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation). Standard medical therapies with antibiotics are currently recommended for patients affected by diverticular disease. However, changing concepts on the pathophysiology of the disease suggest that diverticular disease may share many of the hallmarks of inflammatory bowel diseases. On this basis, the addition of therapies using mesalazine and probiotics may enhance treatment efficacy by shortening the course of the disease and preventing recurrences.