Enhancing Bowel Preparation for Screening Colonoscopy: An Evidence-based Literature Review

•Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.•Bowel preparation is crucial for screening colonoscopy.•Low-volume split-dose polyethylene glycol solution provided better patient compliance and tolerability.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. CRC is preventable through the detection and removal of precancerous polyps during colonoscopy and is curable if diagnosed in the early stages. Successful completion of colonoscopy depends on the quality of the bowel preparation. However, the amount of fluid consumption limits patients' ability to comply frequently, resulting in inadequate bowel preparation. Therefore, an extensive literature review was conducted to evaluate currently available bowel preparation products. The results indicated that a 2-L split-dose polyethylene glycol solution provided better patient compliance and tolerability.