Diarrhea as a Clinical Challenge: General Practitioner Approach.
Aleksandra Sokic-Milutinovic1,2, Aleksandra Pavlovic-Markovic1,2, Ratko S Tomasevic2,3
1Clinic for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
Digestive Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 10, 2021
Summary
Diarrhea, a common health issue causing millions of deaths, can be acute or chronic. General practitioners should identify high-risk patients for timely gastroenterology referral.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Diarrhea is defined as increased stool frequency, weight, or volume.
- It represents a significant global health concern, contributing to millions of deaths annually.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline diagnostic and management strategies for acute and chronic diarrhea.
- To guide general practitioners in identifying patients requiring specialist referral.
Main Methods:
- Review of diagnostic criteria and therapeutic approaches for diarrhea.
- Identification of 'red flag' symptoms necessitating urgent gastroenterology consultation.
Main Results:
- Acute diarrhea is often infectious and self-limiting, requiring diagnostic workup only in specific high-risk cases.
- Chronic diarrhea has varied causes, with red flag symptoms indicating the need for specialist evaluation.
- Referral criteria for both acute and chronic diarrhea were established.
Conclusions:
- General practitioners play a crucial role in recognizing and referring high-risk patients with diarrhea.
- Timely referral ensures appropriate management for severe or persistent gastrointestinal symptoms.
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