title: Drug absorption may be delayed after stroke: results of the paracetamol absorption test.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autonomic changes are frequent after stroke but it is not known whether gastric emptying is altered. We have investigated this using the paracetamol absorption test.
  
  
  METHODS
  12 acute stroke patients and 13 healthy controls of similar age received 1 g oral paracetamol tablets. We studied all patients within 24 h of the stroke and 5 days later. Standard pharmacokinetic measurements were derived from the plasma paracetamol-time curve.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In acute stroke patients, mean plasma T(max) was delayed compared with that in controls (96.3 vs 46.2 min, P=0.015). The C(max) of paracetamol was also lower (16.1 vs 23.9 mg l(-1), P=0.028). The area under the curve of paracetamol did not differ significantly in acute stroke patients and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gastric emptying appears to be delayed in acute stroke patients, and this may result in delayed pharmacological action of orally administered drugs.
authors.affiliation: School of Postgraduate Medicine, University of Keele, Thornburrow Drive, Hartshill, Stoke on Trent ST4 7QB, UK. peter.crome@nsch-tr.wmids.nhs.uk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crome
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizeq
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Braithwaite
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000082:Acetaminophen