Inhibition of postprandial pancreatic and biliary secretion by loperamide in patients with short bowel syndrome.

Patients with the short bowel syndrome are usually afflicted by chronic diarrhoea and treated with opiate drugs, yet little documentation of the effects of such drugs on digestive function is available. In the present study we found that acute oral administration of loperamide resulted in 50% inhibition of postprandial trypsin and bilirubin output in patients with short bowel syndrome. These changes are consistent with an opiate effect.