Gastrointestinal pharmacology

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that require pharmacologic managemen t, usually in combination with other treatments, are gastric ulcers (omepra zole and others), colic (laxatives, analgesics), diarrhea (antibiotics, pro tectants and absorbents, glucocorticoids, motility inhibitors), reperfusion injury, postoperative ileus (prokinetic drugs), and adhesions. There is gr owing evidence that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can alter importan t physiologic properties of the intestine; however, these drugs are valuabl e analgesics for horses and their use should be tempered with an awareness of their harmful effects. The role of antibiotics in treating gastrointesti nal disease is controversial, but their ability to induce life-threatening diarrhea is well known and invites caution and defensible use of these drug s in horses.