Ranitidine: forgotten drug of delayed gastric emptying.
Delayed gastric emptying in the presence or absence of mechanical bowel obstruction can cause distressing symptoms in palliative care patients. We present two patients, both with vomiting due to delayed gastric emptying and gastric outlet obstruction secondary to pancreatic cancer, treated with subcutaneous ranitidine resulting in a symptomatic response. We hypothesise that ranitidine is a useful adjunct to standard treatment with prokinetic agents or octreotide in such patients and potentially those with proximal mechanical bowel obstruction from other malignancies with associated delayed gastric emptying.
Kirkwood Hospice, Huddersfield, UK.
Abbie E
AE
Veevers
Kirkwood Hospice, Huddersfield, UK.
Stephen G
SG
Oxberry
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000556:secondary; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018589:Gastroparesis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D015282:Octreotide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010166:Palliative Care; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D011899:Ranitidine; D015282:Octreotide
case report