[Functional dyspepsia].

Chronic and/or recurrent abdominal symptoms which are (a) focused on the upper abdomen and (b) can not be explained by structural or biochemical abnormalities are characteristic features for functional dyspepsia. Although significant progress in the understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms has been achieved in the past years, the crucial question how to treat this functional syndrome is still only partially answered. The current treatment options are mainly symptom-oriented and do not always fulfil all prerequisites of modern evidence-based medicine. However; new therapeutic approaches and inter-disciplinary treatment strategies seem to represent first promising steps towards a solution for this problem.