The Adverse Drug Reaction in the Gastrointestinal Tract: An Overview

Every drug can produce untoward consequences, even when used according to standard or recommended methods of administration. Adverse drug reactions can involve every organ and system of the body and are frequently mistaken for signs of underlying disease. Similarly, gastrointestinal tract can be affected by many drugs or chemicals. Regarding different parts of this system, these reactions can be categorized to colon, esophagus, esophagus-stomach, large intestine, liver, oral cavity, pancreas, peritoneum, rectum, small intestine, stomach, and stomach-duodenum. In this study, the drugs that may cause adverse effects in the gastrointestinal tract are reviewed. The knowledge about drug-induced gastrointestinal adverse effects helps health professionals to conduct a better practice in diagnosis of gastrointestinal tract diseases, drug administration, improvement of patients` compliance during drug therapy and may influence a more rational use of drugs.