Acute Diverticulitis: A Guideline from the American College of Gastroenterology

• Over the years, recommendations on managing acute diverticulitis have evolved based on both clinical research findings and expert opinion. Here we’ll focus on 3 issues that arise frequently and that are addressed in detail in this new guideline from the American College of Gastroenterology.

Key Recommendations

• Antibiotics: Patients with acute diverticulitis do not necessarily require antibiotics. Randomized trials show that antibiotic therapy does not improve outcomes in patients with acute uncomplicated diverticulitis who are otherwise healthy and don’t have signs of systemic inflammatory response. In contrast, antibiotics are indicated for patients with complica…