Use Of Antacids For Indigestion Relief
Antacids are often used for indigestion relief, but often needs prescription from a doctor. What antacids do is that they neutralize gastric juices by increasing the pH to lower the acidity inside. When stomach hydrochloride (HCl) touches the nerves in the gastric lining, it will send pain signals to the brain. Here are two of the most common antacids used tor relieve pain in indigestion.
Calcium Carbonate
€ Calcium carbonate is under the pharmacological class of calcium salt and pregnancy risk category C.
€ It is indicated for acid indigestion and calcium supplement. It has the same mode of action as aluminum hydroxide.
€ This drug is contraindicated in patients with ventricular fibrillation or hypercalcemia. It must be used cautiously, if at all, if patient takes a cardiac glycoside or has sarcoidosis or kidney or heart disease.
Adverse reactions include:
€ Headache
€ Irritability
€ Weakness
€ Nausea
€ Constipation
€ Flatulence
€ rebound hyperacidity.
Patient teaching
€ Advise patient not to take calcium carbonate indiscriminately or to switch antacids without prescriber's advice.
€ Tell him or her to thoroughly chew the drug before swallowing and to follow with a glass of water.
€ Encourage him or her to notify prescriber about signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding, such as black tarry stools, or coffee ground vomitus.
€ Tell patient who uses suspension form to shake it well and take with small amount of water to facilitate passage.
Aluminum Hydroxide
€ Aluminum hydroxide is under the pharmacological class of aluminum salt and pregnancy risk category C.
€ It is indicated for acid indigestion.
€ Its mode of action is the reduction of total acid load in the gastrointestinal tract, elevation of gastric pH to reduce pepsin activity, strengthening of gastric mucosal barrier, and increasing esophageal sphincter tone.
€ It has no known contraindications; however, it must be used cautiously in patients with chronic renal disease.
Adverse reactions include:
€ possible encephalopathy
€ constipation
€ intestinal obstruction
€ hypophosphatemia
€ osteomalecia
Patient Teaching
€ When taking this drug, phosphate level must be monitored since it can cause hypophosphatemia.
€ Watch for evidence of decrease phosphate levels which includes anorexia, malaise, and muscle weakness.
€ This drug can also cause resorption of calcium and bone demineralization.
€ Aluminum hydroxide therapy may interfere with imaging techniques using sodium pertechnetate Tc 99m, and thus impair evaluation of Meckel's diverticulum.
€ Patient must be instructed to shake suspension well and to follow with a small amount of milk or water to facilitate passage.
€ Advise him or her not to take aluminum hydroxide indiscriminately or to switch antacids without prescription.
€ Instruct pregnant patient to seek medical advice regarding indigestion relief first before taking anything.
Calcium Carbonate
€ Calcium carbonate is under the pharmacological class of calcium salt and pregnancy risk category C.
€ It is indicated for acid indigestion and calcium supplement. It has the same mode of action as aluminum hydroxide.
€ This drug is contraindicated in patients with ventricular fibrillation or hypercalcemia. It must be used cautiously, if at all, if patient takes a cardiac glycoside or has sarcoidosis or kidney or heart disease.
Adverse reactions include:
€ Headache
€ Irritability
€ Weakness
€ Nausea
€ Constipation
€ Flatulence
€ rebound hyperacidity.
Patient teaching
€ Advise patient not to take calcium carbonate indiscriminately or to switch antacids without prescriber's advice.
€ Tell him or her to thoroughly chew the drug before swallowing and to follow with a glass of water.
€ Encourage him or her to notify prescriber about signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding, such as black tarry stools, or coffee ground vomitus.
€ Tell patient who uses suspension form to shake it well and take with small amount of water to facilitate passage.
Aluminum Hydroxide
€ Aluminum hydroxide is under the pharmacological class of aluminum salt and pregnancy risk category C.
€ It is indicated for acid indigestion.
€ Its mode of action is the reduction of total acid load in the gastrointestinal tract, elevation of gastric pH to reduce pepsin activity, strengthening of gastric mucosal barrier, and increasing esophageal sphincter tone.
€ It has no known contraindications; however, it must be used cautiously in patients with chronic renal disease.
Adverse reactions include:
€ possible encephalopathy
€ constipation
€ intestinal obstruction
€ hypophosphatemia
€ osteomalecia
Patient Teaching
€ When taking this drug, phosphate level must be monitored since it can cause hypophosphatemia.
€ Watch for evidence of decrease phosphate levels which includes anorexia, malaise, and muscle weakness.
€ This drug can also cause resorption of calcium and bone demineralization.
€ Aluminum hydroxide therapy may interfere with imaging techniques using sodium pertechnetate Tc 99m, and thus impair evaluation of Meckel's diverticulum.
€ Patient must be instructed to shake suspension well and to follow with a small amount of milk or water to facilitate passage.
€ Advise him or her not to take aluminum hydroxide indiscriminately or to switch antacids without prescription.
€ Instruct pregnant patient to seek medical advice regarding indigestion relief first before taking anything.