Updates useful for nurses

Nurses may find four modern updates useful for optimal patient care. First, the so-called Rome Criteria for constipation (Rome-IV, 2016) have been significantly revised. Instead of focusing only on the severe stage of constipation (defined as bowel movements “less than 3 times per week”), current guidelines emphasize the earliest stages of constipation. The modern “Frequency Classification of Constipation” identifies three stages: mild (bowel movements 5–6 times per week), moderate (3–4 times per week), and severe (1–2 times per week).

The second update reveals an increasing frequency of laxative use depending on the stage of constipation: 13% of patients use laxatives at the mild stage, 30% at the moderate stage, and 64% at the severe stage.

The third update concerns the prevalence of anxiety at each stage of constipation: 12% of patients exhibit anxiety at the mild stage, 33% at the moderate stage, and 57% at the severe stage.

The fourth update relates to the prevalence of depression among cardiology patients: 12% of patients with mild constipation experience depression, 17% with moderate constipation, and 43% with severe constipation.

The last three updates validate the applicability of the frequency classification of constipation and enable nurses to identify the earliest disruptions in the circadian rhythm of the intestines.