Drug absorption may be delayed after stroke: results of the paracetamol absorption test.

BACKGROUND

Autonomic changes are frequent after stroke but it is not known whether gastric emptying is altered. We have investigated this using the paracetamol absorption test.

METHODS

12 acute stroke patients and 13 healthy controls of similar age received 1 g oral paracetamol tablets. We studied all patients within 24 h of the stroke and 5 days later. Standard pharmacokinetic measurements were derived from the plasma paracetamol-time curve.

RESULTS

In acute stroke patients, mean plasma T(max) was delayed compared with that in controls (96.3 vs 46.2 min, P=0.015). The C(max) of paracetamol was also lower (16.1 vs 23.9 mg l(-1), P=0.028). The area under the curve of paracetamol did not differ significantly in acute stroke patients and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Gastric emptying appears to be delayed in acute stroke patients, and this may result in delayed pharmacological action of orally administered drugs.