The Effect of Metoclopramide on the Gastroesophageal Junctional Zone and the Distal Esophagus in Man

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Abstract
Heitmann, P. & Möller, N. 1970. The Effect of Metoclopramide on the Gastroesophageal Junctional Zone and the Distal Esophagus in Man. Scand. J. Gastroent. 5, 621-625. Esophageal intraluminal pressure measurements with constantly perfused catheters were performed on 34 healthy adults before and during an intravenous infusion of metoclopramide. This drug induced a selective and significant increase of maximal end-expiratory resting pressure over the whole length of the gastroesophageal sphincter without changing the resting pressure in the fundus or in the body of the esophagus. In addition, metoclopramide significantly increased the height and duration of peristaltic swallowing waves in the distal esophagus, without increasing spontaneous and non-peristaltic activity. The findings indicate that a mechanism responsible for gastroesophageal competence can be pharmacologically influenced.