Acid Reflux Medication
January 8, 2010 by admin
Filed under Acid Reflux Information
In most cases, patients suffering from GERD only undergo a treatment with acid reflux medication after the dietary and behavioral therapy has been attempted, but the results have not been satisfactory. A medication treatment is the second choice of most health care professionals, and if it fails to yield positive results, the last means of treating the affection would be surgery.
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Acid reflux is a common disease affecting numerous patients across the world. Its symptoms include heartburn (the signature symptom of this affection), regurgitation, swallowing difficulties, dental erosion, chest pain, hoarseness, dyspepsia and asthma. The severity of the symptoms can range from mild to severe, and immediate medical attention is recommended for anyone who begins to experience any of the above more than twice per week. Leaving this condition untreated may lead to a number of more complex complications.
There are several types of acid reflux medication which can be employed to treat this affection. The most common types of drugs used in such situations are antacids, acid suppressants, proton pump inhibitors, anti-spasm drugs as well as various agents which protect the gastro-esophageal mucous lining, but other categories of drugs can be employed too if the health care professional deems it necessary.
Antacids are commonly employed to obtain relief from the milder symptoms. They are substances which inhibit the gastric acids action, and increase the bicarbonate and mucous secretion, thus improving the gastric defenses. In most cases, this type of acid reflux medication can be obtained without a prescription from any drug store.
Histamine blockers are acid suppressants – which means that they impair the production of gastric acids. They act by countering the effects of histamine, an important chemical for the gastric acid secretion process. The effect of the antihistamines may take a while to set in (up to 90 minutes) but it also lasts for prolonged periods of time, sometimes for a full 24 hours. Drugs belonging in this category are also commonly sold without a medical prescription.
Another type of acid reflux medication is the proton pump inhibitor class of drugs. These substances interact with certain cells found in the gastric walls, in order to reduce the quantities of acids secreted. However, using this type of drugs has the downside of causing certain side effects, characterized by symptoms such as headache, nausea, diarrhea and itching, and as a general rule they should be avoided if the patient is pregnant or breast-feeding.
Using drugs which protect the gastric and intestinal mucous lining can also be recommended for certain patients undergoing therapy for GERD, as these substances will generally prevent further damage to the affected tissues.
Anti-spasm drugs, another type of acid reflux medication, may prevent the gastric contents from refluxing by abating the muscular spasms. These drugs can be used to treat patients suffering from acid reflux, but they are also helpful in the case of patients experiencing non-acid reflux as well.
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