What's the difference between constipation and laxative?

Constipation


Definition:

  • (n.) Act of crowding anything into a less compass, or the state of being crowded or pressed together; condensation.
  • (n.) A state of the bowels in which the evacuations are infrequent and difficult, or the intestines become filled with hardened faeces; costiveness.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) In conclusion, abdominal Marlex-mesh rectopexy can be recommended as safe and effective treatment for rectal prolapse, despite some patients developing constipation and some remaining incontinent.
  • (2) In an open, prospectively randomised, parallel group study, 124 patients with a history of constipation for more than three weeks were treated with either 15 ml bd of lactulose (increasing to 60 ml daily if necessary) or one sachet bd of ispaghula.
  • (3) In general patients with diarrhoea were more sensitive to stimuli than those with constipation.
  • (4) Pelvic floor location and mobility did not differ between controls and constipated patients.
  • (5) Chronic constipation is a very frequent disease in western countries but fibres can often solve the problem.
  • (6) Pancreatic polypeptide release was reduced in patients with slow transit constipation, but increased in those with functional diarrhoea.
  • (7) Our results showed that a lower percentage of normal subjects and a lower percentage of constipated patients were able to pass a 1.8 cm incompressible sphere compared with a 50 ml deformable balloon, although constipated patients found it more difficult than normal subjects to expel both types of simulated stool.
  • (8) Two kinds of radiopaque pellets were ingested as markers to determine GITT in 60 normal subjects, 7 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), 10 patients with idiopathic constipation (IC) and 8 patients with other diseases.
  • (9) There was a history of facial edema and constipation, which have been managed with "Kanpo medicine (Chinese medicine)" and laxatives for several years.
  • (10) A 58-year-old man complained of dull left lower quadrant pain and constipation.
  • (11) The irritable colon syndrome comprises two predominant symptom patterns -- "spastic colon" with pain and constipation, and painless "nervous diarrhea".
  • (12) There seems no doubt that following rectopexy there is an increased tendency to constipation.
  • (13) The constipated group required a greater degree of rectal distension than control subjects to induce rectal contractions, anal relaxation and a desire to defaecate.
  • (14) The effect of Plantago ovata on patients with chronic constipation (CC) with or without irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been assessed by a double blind study comprising 20 patients with CC of which 10 had associated IBS.
  • (15) Certain forms of severe constipation, unresponsive to medical treatment and classified as "idiopathic", have been thought to be anatomical anomalies due to anterior-displacement of the anus.
  • (16) Those symptoms occurring more frequently in PD patients than in controls included abnormal salivation, dysphagia, nausea, constipation, and defecatory dysfunction.
  • (17) Transit time is shortened in patients with diarrhea, lengthened in patients with constipation.
  • (18) Patient beliefs that can block pain management include beliefs about self-concept and the aging process; the patient role; health professionals; pain; and consequences of treatment, including addiction, xerostomia, falls, constipation, and sexual and personality problems.
  • (19) By convention, people with simple constipation are not usually included in this group of patients.
  • (20) The incidence of systemic symptoms like fever and anorexia, alternating diarrhoea and constipation, peritoneal and lymph node involvements and associated pulmonary lesions were less frequently observed.

Laxative


Definition:

  • (a.) Having a tendency to loosen or relax.
  • (a.) Having the effect of loosening or opening the intestines, and relieving from constipation; -- opposed to astringent.
  • (n.) A laxative medicine. See the Note under Cathartic.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) There was a history of facial edema and constipation, which have been managed with "Kanpo medicine (Chinese medicine)" and laxatives for several years.
  • (2) There was no significant difference between the laxatives used.
  • (3) IN EXAMINATION OF THE SMALL INTESTINE, SHORTENED TRANSIT TIME AND IMPROVED QUALITY WERE ACHIEVED BY USING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS OF REGIMEN: 1, No laxative; 2, nothing by mouth for 8 hours before examination; 3, 600 ml of micropulverized barium sulfate; 4, patient to lie in right decubitus position for at least one hour between films; and 5, ingestion of 200 ml of cool tap water a half hour after the start of the examination.
  • (4) Patients were then randomized in 2 groups, both receiving standard treatment during 2 months (low-salt diet--70 to 90 mEq of Na per day, stopping diuretics and laxatives, elastic stockings).
  • (5) In all patients careful bowel preparation was carried out by low residue diet, laxatives, enemas and antibiotics.
  • (6) Urinary data indicate that a large percentage (50%) of the drug was eliminated renally despite administration of multiple doses of activated charcoal, cholestyramine and hyperosmotic laxatives.
  • (7) In contrast to manometry, electromyographic methods using an endoluminal probe enable continuous colonic motor recordings over a long colonic segment for at least 24 h, and consequently studies following the course of laxative effects after oral administration, the classical therapeutic route, are possible.
  • (8) In contrast, the laxative potentiated the responses of the longitudinal muscle of guinea-pig isolated ileum and the rat stomach strip to the agonists, particularly PGE2.
  • (9) Stimulation of peristalsis or a decrease of intraluminal pressure has been described manometrically after intraluminal administration of laxatives including senna.
  • (10) The aim of the present investigation is therefore to study the absorption and the plasma level profile and to correlate plasma level profile and laxative effect after the administration of various dosage forms.
  • (11) The results suggest that azapropazone can be given together with antacids and laxatives since there is no significant interaction.
  • (12) From this controlled double-blind study it is not possible to draw any definite conclusions regarding the efficacy of bulk laxatives on geriatric patients.
  • (13) Furthermore, these data demonstrate a previously unrecognised interaction between a commonly prescribed laxative--lactulose, and atenolol and hydrochlorothiazide.
  • (14) In total 90% of the women received drugs, excluding laxatives, oxytocics and long-term medication, vitamins and iron.
  • (15) Both types of abuse were associated with the following behaviors: running away; considering hurting oneself; suicide attempts; and the use of drugs, pot (marijuana), cigarettes, and laxatives.
  • (16) To evaluate these two laxative regimens the following parameters were monitored: quantity and quality of the feces and of additional laxatives used for regular defecation; acceptance by the patient; costs per patient and day.
  • (17) In the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal disturbances the possibility of laxative abuse is considered either too late or not at all.
  • (18) Nor is there any difference between the two laxatives.
  • (19) It is noted that children who took more pills often had fewer or no symptoms, and that laxatives increased the incidence of vomiting.
  • (20) After adjusting for potential confounders (including age, sex, relevant medical conditions, health status, cognitive impairment, use of alcohol, depression and use of other medications), the following medications were found to be important risk factors for multiple falls: diazepam [odds ratio (OR): 3.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5-9.3], diltiazem (OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 0.8-4.1), diuretics (OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2-2.8) and laxatives (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.0-4.5).