Acid Reflux Medication

What You Need to Know About Acid reflux Medication and Their Not So Nice Side Effects

A number of medicines are registered for the treatment of GERD, and they are among the most often prescribed forms of medication in most Western countries. Many of these acid reflux medications known as antacid's, can also be bought over the counter at your local drugstore and pharmacy. They can be used in combination, although some antacid's can impede the function of other medications:

Antacid's as an acid reflux medication can be taken before meals or symptomatically after symptoms begin and can reduce gastric acidity by increasing the ph of the stomach. Some of these acid reflux medications also absorb bile salts which is released by the liver to digest proteins. They include:

Aluminium hydroxide (Amphojel®, AlternaGEL®)
 
Magnesium hydroxide (Phillips’® Milk of Magnesia)

Aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide (Maalox®, Mylanta®)
 
Aluminium carbonate gel (Basajel®)

I don't know about you but there are so many studies linking aluminum to Alzheimer's that there is no way I would take any of the above products.

Calcium carbonate (Tums®, Titralac®, Calcium Rich Rolaids®)
 
Sodium bicarbonate (Bicarbonate of soda--baking soda)
 
Hydrotalcite (Mg6Al2(CO3)(OH)16 · 4(H2O); Talcid®)

Gastric H2 receptor blockers such as ranitidine or famotidine can reduce gastric secretion of acid. These drugs are technically antihistamine's that block the action of the cells to produce hydrochloric acid. They relieve complaints in about 50% of all acid reflux patients who take them. However, the result is you will not be completely digesting your foods. This results in poor nutrition for the rest of the body and your overall health will decline.

H2-antagonists are generally well-tolerated, except for cimetidine where all of the following adverse drug reactions are common. Infrequent adverse drug reactions include hypotension. Rare adverse drug reactions include: headache, tiredness, dizziness, confusion, diarrhea, constipation, and rash. (Rossi, 2004)
 
Proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole are even more effective in reducing gastric acid secretion. There main action is the pronounced and long-lasting reduction of gastric acid production and they have replaced H2 receptor blockers since they are more effective at blocking hydrochloric acid production.

Common adverse effects include: headache, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, dizziness. (Rossi, 2004)

Infrequent adverse effects include: rash, itch, flatulence, constipation. (Rossi, 2004)

Prokinetics strengthen the LES and speed up gastric emptying. Cisapride, a member of this class, was withdrawn for causing Long QT syndrome which is a heart condition in which there is an abnormally long delay between the electrical excitation and relaxation  of the ventricles of the heart. It is associated with loss of consciousness and with sudden death due to ventricular arrhythmias. Good stuff huh?

I don't know about you, but it seems to me these acid reflux medicines may really be worse than the natural cure for acid reflux. I would much prefer to fix the problem in the first place and be done with it, wouldn't you?

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