ABSTRACT
Drug-induced nutrient maldigestion and malabsorption occurs frequently, but the clinical manifestations of these drug-induced dis orders—anemia, diarrhea and weight loss—are often attributed to the underlying disease. Therefore, the etiology may remain unrecognized by the physician. If one considers the complex and diverse intraand extracellular events involved in the digestion and absorption of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, it is not surprising that many drug-related malabsorptive syndromes have been elucidated. There are many possible mechanisms by which drugs interfere with nutrient absorption. Most frequently, drugs alter the absorption of nutrients by disrupting the intestinal luminal or mucosal mechanisms of nutrient digestion and absorption. Drugs have little, if any, effect on the composition or flow of the hepatobiliary or pancreatic secretions.
