Update: pharmaceuticals and gastric emptying.

Abstract

Radionuclide techniques have provided gastric emptying (GE) rate data for liquid, solid, and indigestible intraluminal contents. These data have been collected for basal states and following drug administration. Because the ability of drugs to effect GE may alter the bioavailability of orally administered medication, the latter findings are clinically useful for drugs which secondarily effect GE, as well as those whose primary objective is alteration of gastrointestinal motility. This paper reviews the current understanding of the physiology of GE, followed by an informational review of drugs listed first by medical subspecialty and then based upon special use, including antipyretics, non-narcotic analgesics, and recreational drugs.