Upper GIT medications Flashcards
Upper gastrointestinal tract:
Functions - performs the mechanical and chemical process of digestion, absorbs nutrients, and eliminates waste.
Protective factors - the digestive tract must work without being destroyed by the strong acid it makes to digest food.
Digestion variables - changes in GI blood flow, amount of surface available, and motility are found in very young and older adult patients.
Upper GIT includes:
- oesophagus
- stomach
- pancreas
- gallbladder
Common problem in the Upper GIT:
- excess activity of stomach juices into either the oesphagus or the duodenum where they irritate the gut wall
3 major types of Upper GI medications:
- Antacids
- Histamine H2-receptor antagonists
- Proton pump inhibitors
Antacids action and uses:
- antacids neutralises hydrochloric acid and increase gastric PH
- antacids tightens gastric mucosa
- form gas to promote burping
Antacids adverse effects:
- weakness
- anorexia
- diarrhoea
- frequent burping
- bowel obstruction
- constipation
- thirst
Histamine H2-recpetor antagonists action and uses:
- displace histamine from the receptor site and prevent stimulation of the secretory cells (neutralize acid and promote healing of ulcers)
- act with antacids to produce more alkaline conditions in GI tract
- rapidly absorbed - reach peak effectiveness 45-90 minutes
H2-receptor antagonists’ adverse effects:
adverse effects are rare however they can include:
- dizziness
- headache
- mild/brief diarrhoea
- rash
- impotence
- muscle pain
- fever
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) action and uses:
- used to heal gastric ulcers - irreversibly stop the acid secretory pump embedded in the parietal cells
Proton pump inhibitor adverse effects:
- headache
- diarrhoea
- abdominal pain
- nausea
Other Upper GIT medications - Antibiotics:
Antibiotics - Helicobacter pylori
- generally administered as a triple therapy regimen 10-14 days
Antiemetic drugs action and uses:
Action - agents act to redirect stimulation by stopping or reducing stimulation of the vomiting center
Uses: - prevent and treat motion sickness or nausea and vomiting that occur with surgery, anesthesia and cancer treatment
Example and side effects of antiemetic drugs:
- Compazine
- Phenergan
side effects include:
- drowsiness
-drug tolerance with long-term therapy
Sucralfate is:
- used for treatment of ulcers
- aids ulcer healing by forming protective layer at ulcer site
- example is Carafate - anti-ulcer medication
- side effects include - constipation, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, dizziness, back pain, rash, headaches
Misoprostol is:
- used to treat ulcers
- useful for people where other treatments are not effective - especially for people on NSAIDS
- not for pregnant women
- Example - Cytotec
