Continuing Professional Development

Abstract

● The role of the GP in the management of patients with IBD includes early diagnosis, patient support, preventing disease complications, monitoring for disease relapse and medication side effects and providing nutritional, smoking cessation and psychological support. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the two main disorders that make up the collective term, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The cause of IBD is unknown, and the clinical illness results from chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. It is characterised by intermittent exacerbations of disease activity followed by episodes of remission. Treatment of the inflammation is complex but effective in improving quality of life and altering the natural history of the disease. Hence, although IBD is a chronic illness that is not cured by therapy, its early diagnosis leads to better outcomes for patients, including remission induction and prevention of disease associated complications. Multidisciplinary management that includes active involvement of the GP is crucial to these outcomes. This review will address the core information required by GPs to understand the illness and its treatment, and their recommended position in the management algorithm. Inflammatory bowel disease: The GP’s role in shared care of patients Click here to take CME assessment