Chronic diarrhoea requires a full patient review, including previous gastroenteritis

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Chronic diarrhoea requires a full patient review, including previous gastroenteritis

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Guest writer

Alan Fraser
Alan Fraser is a gastroenterologist with Auckland Gastroenterology Associates and Endoscopy Auckland, and associate professor of medicine, the University of Auckland

Gastroenterologist Alan Fraser provides a pragmatic approach to managing the patient with chronic diarrhoea – a presentation that can frustrate and elude diagnosis for some time and may require expectations of the speed of recovery to be managed

Key points, With chronic diarrhoea (more than three weeks), the initial history should seek supporting evidence for the most common causes.   Relevant questio