The effect of metoclopramide on gastric emptying of solid meals

Abstract

The effect of metoclopramide has been studied on the emptying of solid meals labelled with 51Cr and monitored with a gamma camera. Metoclopramide, 10 mg iv or a dummy injection was given randomly and double blind to 10 normal subjects and to 10 patients within 3 mth of a truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty. All were tested in the recumbent position. Metoclopramide had no effect on emptying rates in the normal subjects, nor in 4 postvagotomy patients who had emptying within the normal range (T1/2 30-150 min). In 6 patients with abnormally delayed emptying (mean T1/2 369 min) metoclopramide produced a significant improvement (mean T1/2 194 min, P < 0.01).