ABSTRACT
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common gastrointestinal disorder seen in general practice, representing 30%–50% of all referrals to gastroenterologists. Determining incidence or prevalence ˜gures is virtually impossible, as many sufferers never seek medical attention. It has been estimated, however, that approximately 15% of the population have complaints of IBS, with women predominating in a ratio of 2:1 (it is likely that an equal number of men have IBS but that they do not report symptoms as often). The etiology of the greater colonic motility seen in IBS has been attributed to physiologic, psychological, and dietary factors.
