This is the first chapter in the British National Formulary (BNF) which introduces the following areas: dyspepsia and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), antispasmodics (i.e. drugs used irritable bowel syndrome), antisecretory drugs and mucosal protectants (i.e. proton pump inhibitors, H2-receptor antagonists), acute diarrhoea, chronic bowel disorders (i.e. Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis), constipation (i.e. opioid-induced constipation in palliative care, faecal impaction in children), and drugs affecting intestinal secretions.
There will also be slight overlaps with the infections section which covers gastrointestinal system infections such as, Clostridioides difficile, Campylobacter enteritis, acute diverticulitis, and Helicobacter pylori infection.