Jtl. Smith, METHODS FOR ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF DRUGS ON GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION IN PATIENTS AND HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS, Journal of clinical pharmacology, 37(1), 1997, pp. 29-33
The gastrointestinal tract is a complex organ with many functions. Man
y diseases affect the way in which the gastrointestinal tract performs
these functions. The pharmaceutical industry and academia are putting
great effort into the development of treatments for these diseases. A
s a consequence, there is increasing pressure on the clinical pharmaco
logist and gastroenterologist to develop methods to measure the effect
s of drugs on the gastrointestinal tract. This article reviews the met
hods currently available to assess gastrointestinal function; in parti
cular it focuses on motility and sensitivity.