Influence of Diabetes Mellitus on Pharmacokinetics of Drugs

One of the major microvascular complications of DM includes a 60-70% reduction of gastric mucosal blood flow in diabetic patients which ultimately influences the rate of gastric emptying [2]. It has been reported that 28-65% of diabetic patients experience delayed gastric emptying with an inverse relationship between the rate of gastric emptying and the bloodglucose concentration [2]. It is not surprising that delayed gastric emptying causes more than 300% longer gastric transit time in diabetic patients compared to non-diabetic patients [3]. These significant changes in gastric motility and gastric transit time may have the potential to impact rate and extent of absorption of orally-administered medications in diabetic patients.