Digestive drugs
Digestive drugs
Digestive drugs (digestants) aid digestion in the patient who’s missing enzymes or other substances needed to digest food. Digestants that function in the GI tract, liver, and pancreas include:
- pancreatin
- pancrelipase
- lipase
- protease
- amylase (pancreatic enzymes).
Pharmacokinetics
Digestants aren’t absorbed; they act locally in the GI tract and are excreted in stool.
Pharmacodynamics
The action of digestants resembles the action of the body substances they replace. Pancreatic enzymes replace normal pancreatic enzymes. They exert their effect in the duodenum and upper jejunum of the upper GI tract.
Warning!
Adverse reactions to digestive drugs
Pancreatic enzymes
- Abdominal cramping
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
Breaking it down
These drugs contain trypsin to digest proteins, amylase to digest carbohydrates, and lipase to digest fats.
Pharmacotherapeutics
Because their action resembles the action of the body substances they replace, each digestant has its own indication.
Mirror images
Pancreatic enzymes are administered to the patient with insufficient levels of pancreatic enzymes, such as the patient with pancreatitis or cystic fibrosis. They may also be used to treat steatorrhea (disorder of fat metabolism characterized by fatty, foul-smelling stool).
Drug interactions
Antacids reduce the effects of pancreatic enzymes and shouldn’t be given at the same time. Pancreatic enzymes may decrease the absorption of folic acid and iron.
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