Medscape's Ask the Experts allows you to ask members of a panel of leading experts for advice or information. You also have the opportunity to share your own views and insights by clicking the "Discuss this" link at the top of each response.

• Crohn Disease: How to Manage Loss of Response to Therapy Dr. Bret Lashner outlines the steps to follow if a patient with Crohn disease loses response to biologic therapy.
  Ask the Experts, March 2012
• Does Coffee Really Protect Against Liver Fibrosis? Dr. William Balistreri reviews the evidence that drinking coffee is good for patients with liver disease.
  Ask the Experts, March 2012
• When Will We Have Interferon-Free Treatment for Hepatitis C? A reader asks how close we are to offering more effective and better tolerated regimens to patients with hepatitis C virus.
  Ask the Experts, February 2012
• How Is Drug-Refractory Gastroparesis Treated? Treatment options exist for this increasingly common complaint.
  Ask the Experts, January 2012
• How Should I Approach Elevated Liver Enzymes? A step-wise approach to the patient with elevated liver function tests is recommended by Dr. William Balistreri.
  Ask the Experts, December 2011
• Does Chronic Use of Stimulant Laxatives Harm the Bowel? A reader asks about the consequences of chronic stimulant laxative use for constipation.
  Ask the Experts, November 2011
• Are Colonics Safe? Does research support the use of this ancient practice?
  Ask the Experts, November 2011
• Can Medication Adherence Be Improved in Patients With IBD? Dr. Sunanda Kane shares tips on how to encourage patients with IBD to stay on their maintenance medications even when they feel well.
  Ask the Experts, September 2011
• Should We Screen Children for Fatty Liver Disease? With the rising problem of obesity in children, how significant is the problem of fatty liver disease?
  Ask the Experts, August 2011
• Probiotics for Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea? Do products containing live microorganisms really restore normal GI function?
  Ask the Experts, July 2011
• How Can I Help Patients Get Their Medications? Resources are available to assist patients who cannot afford their medications.
  Ask the Experts, July 2011
• What Is Recommended for Chronic Constipation? Technically fewer than 3 bowel movements per week, patients may have different views on what constitutes chronic constipation.
  Ask the Experts, June 2011
• How Should Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Be Managed? A Medscape reader asks our gastroenterology expert if weight loss is safe for a patient with NAFLD.
  Ask the Experts, June 2011
• Do PPIs Interact With Levothyroxine? Do patients taking a proton-pump inhibitor and levothyroxine require close monitoring of thyroid-stimulating hormone?
  Ask the Experts, May 2011
• How Should Withdrawal From Proton-Pump Inhibitors Be Managed? Dr. David Bernstein outlines the management options for patients who experience a return of symptoms after they stop taking PPIs.
  Ask the Experts, May 2011
• Can Pregnant Women Take Antivirals? A reader asks if antiviral agents against hepatitis B are safe and effective during pregnancy.
  Ask the Experts, April 2011
• Is Vitamin E Beneficial in Children With NASH? The recently completed TONIC trial offers data to answer this question.
  Ask the Experts, April 2011
• Should Proton-Pump Inhibitors Be Avoided in Pregnant Women? Recent news about possible cardiac anomalies in pregnant women exposed to proton-pump inhibitors raises concerns among providers and patients.
  Ask the Experts, February 2011
• Clostridium difficile Treatment -- To Be Continued? How should initial and recurrent C difficile infection be treated?
  Ask the Experts, January 2011
• Is Acetaminophen Harmful in Children? Dr. Balistreri summarizes the current evidence linking acetaminophen with liver damage.
  Ask the Experts, January 2011

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