16. Drugs and the Gastrointestinal Tract

Sheila A Doggrell

Discipline of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Queensland University of Technology, Gardens Point, GPO Box 2434, QLD 4001, Australia

Phone +61 7 3870574 Fax +61 7 31381534 Email sheila.doggrell@qut.edu.au

Reviewer required

Key words: acidity, antacids, proton pump inhibitors, histamine H2-receptor antagonists, misoprostol, sucralfate, prokinetics, emetics, emesis with cytotoxic drugs, motion sickness, post-operative emesis, diarrhea, constipation, opioid-induced constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, mesalazine, glucocorticoids, infliximab

Contents

16.1. Agents to control acidity

16.1.1 Antacids

16.1.2 Proton pump inhibitors and antibiotics for Helicobacter pylori

16.1.3 Histamine H2 receptor antagonists

16.1.4 Misoprostol

16.1.5 Sucralfate

16.2. Prokinetics and emetics

16.2.1 Introduction to prokinetics

16.2.2 Prokinetic agents

16.2.3 Emesis with cytotoxic drugs and drugs for

16.2.4 Motion sickness and drugs for

16.2.5 Drugs for post-operative emesis

16.3. Agents used for diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome

16.3.1 Treatment for diarrhea

16.3.2 Treatment for constipation

16.3.3 Treatment for opioid-induced constipation

16.4. Drugs for inflammatory bowel disease

16.4.1 Mesalazine

16.4.2 Glucocorticoids

16.4.3 Infliximab

DRUGS AND THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

The subjects covered are the agents used for the control of acidity, prokinetics (which make the gut work faster) and anti-emetic (drugs that prevent nausea and vomiting). The agents used to treat diarrhoea, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome are also considered