Effect of alcohol on gastric emptying in volunteers

Abstract

We have examined the effect of alcohol on the gastric emptying rate of a liquid meal in 10 volunteers. Each volunteer was allocated randomly to receive, on three occasions, no alcohol, 3 units or 6 units of alcohol. Gastric emptying was measured using applied potential tomography. The rate of gastric emptying as measured by the time to 50% emptying (T50) was delayed significantly (P < 0.01) after alcohol 6 units (median 45.0 mm (range 19-90 min)) compared with control (23.0 min (13-36 min)) and there was little change after alcohol 3 units (25.5 min (10-41 min)). (Br. J. Anaesth. 1993; 71: 674-676) © 1993 British Journal of Anaesthesia.