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Title

Alcohol and gastrointestinal motility

Publication type

Journal Article

Year of Publication

2000

Authors

Von der Ohe, M., Singer, M.V.

Journal

Verdauungskrankheiten

Volume

Issue

Pagination

254 - 263

Date published

2000

ISBN

0174738X (ISSN)

Keywords

alcohol, alcohol abuse, alcohol consumption, Alcoholic Beverages, clinical feature, colon motility, esophagus function, gastrointestinal disease, Gastrointestinal Motility, gastrointestinal tract function, human, intestine injury, lower esophagus sphincter, pathogenesis, review

Abstract

Changes of upper gastrointestinal motor functions can be observed after acute intake of alcohol or alcoholic beverages. These motility alterations also occur when alcohol is given parenterally as soon as it is intralumenally detectable which indicates a local mechanism of action. Motility disturbances most often seen include alterations of tubular esophageal contraction, reduction of lower esophageal sphincter pressure and a delay in gastric emptying. These effects may in part explain common symptoms such as heart burn, nausea, vomiting, and epigastric pain after heavy bout drinking. Acute alcohol intake also induces propagated contractions in the small intestine. It is unclear, however, whether these effects correlate with symptoms of alcoholic diarrhea since knowledge on colonic motor function during alcohol ingestion is very limited. Chronic effects of alcohol on GI motor function are poorly studied but do not differ significantly from those observed during acute intake. All effects are completely reversible when drinking is stopped. Thus, abstinence is the treatment of choice after exclusion of common mucosal injury by appropriate diagnostic means.

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