Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are an extremely common set of more than 50 disorders characterized by persistent and recurring gastrointestinal symptoms . Most of these patients can be diagnosed and managed by primary care physicians. Treatment includes patient education and reassurance , eliminating triggers, dietary modification, and pharmacologic management. Primary care physicians should consider referral to gastroenterologists when patients exhibit red flag symptoms such as blood in stool , abnormal laboratory findings , involuntary weight loss, age of presentation greater than 50 years, or certain concerning family history.