18

CHAPTER

329

Gastrointestinal

System

At some point, all of us have had a bellyache—especially right before an exam—

that suddenly disappeared once the exam was over. However, a stomach ache

and other aliments of the gastrointestinal system are not as easily cured by

removing stress. Some require more sophisticated treatment with medication.

Problems with the gastrointestinal system can include vomiting, ingesting

toxins, diarrhea, constipation, peptic ulcers, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Each is treatable with the proper medication.

In this chapter, you’ll learn about common gastrointestinal disorders and

about the medications that are frequently prescribed to treat these conditions.

A Brief Look at the Gastrointestinal System

The gastrointestinal (GI) system consists of the alimentary canal and the diges-

tive tract that begins with the oral cavity and extends to the anus. The major

structures of the GI system are the oral cavity (mouth, tongue, and pharynx),

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