Tegaserod in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.

Tegaserod, a novel serotonin receptor agonist, has gained acceptance and widespread use for the treatment of women with irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. Development of this therapy evolved from the emerging role of serotonin in gastrointestinal motor, secretory and sensory functions. The efficacy and safety of tegaserod has been well established in women suffering from irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. Large, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials involving more than 3500 predominantly female patients with irritable bowel syndrome and constipation have demonstrated the superiority of tegaserod over placebo in improving global and individual symptoms. The most common side effects of tegaserod in clinical trials were diarrhea and headache. Recent data suggest that retreatment with tegaserod after a drug holiday is efficacious, opening the door to the possibility of intermittent therapy for patients with irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. Areas in need of further investigation include the role of tegaserod in the treatment of pain and bloating in irritable bowel syndrome, whether tegaserod has a role in male patients, the long-term efficacy of tegaserod, whether tolerance develops in a subset of patients with extended therapy and whether tegaserod is beneficial for the treatment of other functional gastrointestinal disorders.