Diarrhoea is a common clinical problem seen in UK general practice. The perception of diarrhoea varies widely among patients as well as clinicians. Although there is no uniformly accepted definition, diarrhoea is generally agreed to be the abnormal passage of more than three loose or liquid stools per day. Diarrhoea may be termed acute or, if it lasts for more than 4 weeks, chronic. Chronic diarrhoea affects 4–5% of the adult population in the UK.
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