Survey of Drug Treatment for Constipation in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Patients undergoing hemodialysis are prone to gastrointestinal complications such as constipation, indigestion, abdominal pain, and reflux, with constipation being a particular problem. Various reasons, including fluid intake and dietary restrictions, decreased bowel motility due to changes in body water content, decreased physical activity during dialysis, and the use of serum potassium suppressants and phosphorus-adsorbing drugs, can explain this. However, there are no guidelines for treating constipation in patients undergoing hemodialysis, and physicians still use their own judgment when selecting medications. In this study, we investigated the use of laxatives in patients undergoing hemodialysis and evaluated their safety. The results showed that 40.0% of the patients regularly used laxatives. The laxative Macrogol (Movicol®) accounted for more than 80% of the patients. No changes in body weight or serum potassium levels were observed after 3 months of Movicol® initiation, suggesting that the drug is safe for patients undergoing hemodialysis.