Functional gastrointestinal diseases

Functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are the most important functional gastrointestinal diseases (FGID), and both affect about 5-15 % of the German population. The patients' symptoms are caused by disturbances of gastrointestinal (GI) motility, secretion and sensitivity. Central processing of visceral afferences is disturbed, and the course of the disease and individual symptom perception are influenced by psychosocial factors. Diagnosis of FD and IBS is based on a compatible symptom pattern, absence of alarm symptoms and exclusion of relevant differential diagnoses. The diagnosis of FD requires a normal upper GI endoscopy. Current German guidelines also demand a normal colonoscopy for diagnosis of IBS. Basic therapeutic measures include explanation of the nature of the disease and its harmlessness quo ad vitam. Individual trigger factors should be identified and eliminated if possible. Drug therapy of persisting complaints is guided by the dominant symptom.