A narrative review of literature involving older patients and constipation found:
“Major contributing factors include physical inactivity, sarcopenia, dehydration, inappropriate defecation posture, and polypharmacy, particularly opioids and anticholinergic agents. Importantly, these factors interact through the brain–gut–microbiota axis, contributing not only to gastrointestinal dysfunction but also to systemic outcomes such as frailty, cognitive decline, and increased healthcare burden, thereby supporting a multidimensional disease framework.”
It isn’t as simple as adding a laxative.
References
Mimura S, Morishita A, Kitaoka A, Sasaki K, Tai H, Yano R, Nakahara M, Oura K, Tadokoro T, Fujita K, et al. Constipation in Older Adults: Pathophysiology, Clinical Impact, and Management Strategies. Geriatrics. 2026; 11(2):47. https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics11020047
