Some aspects of medical management of gastrointestinal disease. I.

Among drugs recently introduced into Canada for treatment of gastrointestinal disease are carbenoxolone sodium (used in treating gastric ulcer) and metoclopramide hydrochloride (which modifies upper gastrointestinal tract motility). A third drug, lactulose (useful in treating hepatic encephalopathy), will soon be available. Clinical experience with these drugs has been most extensive in Europe. In a new class of agents are histamine H2-receptor antagonists, which are currently under clinical trial. These drugs are the most potent inhibitors of gastric acid secretion yet investigated, and are potentially the most exciting agents to appear in many years. Part I of this paper is a review of the actions, clinical use, side effects, and dosage and administration of these new drugs.