The American Gastroenterological Association released a guideline in Gastroenterology on the medical management of opioid-induced constipation to address treatment options for the up to 12 million Americans suffering from chronic pain.
What you should know:
1. AGA developed an approach providers should take when treating patients with suspected OIC. They issued guidance for four major treatments.
2. AGA recommends traditional laxatives as a first-line treatment citing a moderate quality of evidence.
3. AGA issued several recommendations concerning Peripherally Acting μ-Opioid Receptor Antagonists use, over no treatment:
For patients with laxative refractory OIC, AGA recommends naldemedine with a high quality of evidence and naloxegol with a moderate quality of evidence
The AGA also issued a conditional recommendation for using methylnaltrexone, citing low quality of evidence.
4. The AGA did not recommend the use of internal secretagogues, lubiprostone, or selective 5-HT agonist, prucalopride, citing evidence gaps for both treatments.
Read the full recommendation here.