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Review: pancreatic enzyme replacement—applied physiology and pharmacology
Author(s) -
ZENTLERMUNRO P. L.,
NORTHFIELD T. C.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.1987.tb00644.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pancreatic enzymes , clinical trial , intensive care medicine , blockade , pharmacology , bioinformatics , pancreas , receptor , biology
SUMMARY The treatment of pancreatic steatorrhoea can often be improved by attention to the pathophysiological and pharmacological principles involved. Factors influencing the efficacy of pancreatic enzyme replacement include physiological characteristics of the individual patient and pharmaceutical characteristics of the supplement. Different patients may be best suited by different preparations and there is no overall ‘best buy’. The new enteric‐coated microsphere formulations are often most effective, but also more expensive than conventional preparations. Adjunctive H 2 ‐blockade can help appropriately selected patients with resistant steatorrhoea. Knowledge of the underlying cause may guide the choice of supplement and its dose, but trials of different regimens may prove necessary. Successful management, particularly of malnourished patients, involves optimization of dietary fat intake in addition to enzyme replacement.