Inflammatory bowel disease affects the intestine and causes great pain and discomfort. Whilst modern treatments help make life tolerable, there is a lot of research into advances that will help millions lead a more normal life.
Disease: Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Last update: July 2009
Intro
FAQ
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What is it?
The main feature of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is inflammation of the intestine. This leads to pain, ulcers, diarrhoea and bowel obstruction. There are two major forms of IBD: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. -
Who gets it?
IBD affects men and women. Both diseases normally start when the sufferer is between 15 and 30 years old. It is estimated that ulcerative colitis affects some 500,000 people in Europe and Crohn's disease about 250,000 people. The true figure may be higher than this because not all cases are recorded. -
What can be done about it?
Advances from the pharmaceutical industry have been such that the disease can be completely or partially controlled for a majority of patients. However, current medicines are not a cure, and patients may need surgery to remove affected sections of their intestine. -
What does the future hold?
Extensive research means that our understanding of the inflammatory process is growing rapidly. The human body produces a large variety of substances during inflammation. So there are many possible targets for medicine development. Future medicines should make life more tolerable for people with IBD.