ABDOMINAL-PAIN IN GENERAL-PRACTICE

Five hundred and seventy-eight consecutive cases of non-acute abdomina l pain presenting to 11 general practices were included in a descripti ve study and were followed during 15 months. Females predominated in t he younger age groups. Eighty per cent of these patients visited their GP not more than three times for abdominal complaints during the foll ow-up period. Eighty-three per cent were managed entirely in the pract ice and 64% received a prescription. Only 20% of patients were additio nally investigated in any way by the GP. There were hardly any differe nces in final diagnoses between patients who had complaints less than 1 week or more than 1 week before presenting to the GP. Non-acute abdo minal pain is a condition that is seen and managed mainly in general p ractice.