Definition
Stomach acidity - also known as heartburn or gastric acidity - is a particular condition characterized, precisely, by an increase in acidity at the gastric level.
Generally, stomach acid is a disorder that can be easily treated, however, it is good not to underestimate it, as it could represent the symptom of any basic pathologies not yet diagnosed.
Causes
Stomach acidity is a condition that can be caused by various factors, of various origins and nature.
If stomach acid is a disorder that occurs sporadically, the triggering causes could be: too abundant meals, consumption of hardly digestible foods, immoderate alcohol consumption, stress or taking certain types of drugs.
In other cases, however, stomach acid can be the symptom of other basic diseases, such as, for example, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux disease or hiatal hernia.
Symptoms
As you can easily guess, the main symptom that characterizes stomach acid is a burning sensation, more or less intense, perceived at the gastric level.
Depending on the cause causing stomach acidity, additional symptoms may occur, such as acid regurgitation, digestive difficulties, belching, halitosis and vomiting.
Natural Care
Diet and Nutrition
Information on Stomach Acid Treatment Drugs is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Stomach Acid Medication.
drugs
Being a disorder that can be caused by causes of various origins and nature, the treatment of heartburn can vary from patient to patient.
Therefore, it is clear how important it is to first of all identify the cause that led to the onset of this disorder.
However, it can be said that the main drugs used to treat stomach acid are the so-called antacids . These drugs exert their activity through the temporary neutralization of excessive acidity in the stomach, but without altering the production of hydrochloric acid by the gastric cells. For this reason, this type of drug is mostly useful in sporadic cases of stomach acid, perhaps caused by excessively abundant meals or the consumption of foods that are difficult to digest.
When, on the other hand, stomach acid is caused by more serious pathologies (see the "Causes" section), then the doctor may consider it necessary to resort to drugs capable of directly interfering with the production of hydrochloric acid at gastric level, or able to protect the stomach wall from excessive acid environment. We are talking about the so - called gastroprotective drugs, among which we find proton pump inhibitors, H2 antihistamines and cytoprotective agents (for more information on this, we recommend reading the article dedicated to "Gastroprotectors").
Antacids
As mentioned, the antacid drugs exert their action by temporarily neutralizing the acidity of the stomach and do not in any way affect the production of hydrochloric acid.
Among the antacids most used in therapy, we recall:
- Sodium bicarbonate (Citrosodina®): this salt is one of the most widely used products to counteract stomach acid. It is available in powder or effervescent granules. Usually, we recommend taking two teaspoons of product to dissolve in water beforehand.
- Aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide (Maalox®, Maalox TC®, Maalox Plus®): these compounds are always used in combination. They are available in different pharmaceutical formulations, including chewable tablets and oral suspension.
When used in the form of chewable tablets, we recommend taking one or two tablets (containing 400 mg of aluminum hydroxide and 400 mg of magnesium hydroxide) from three to four times a day.
Proton Pump Inhibitors
As mentioned, these drugs are used in the treatment of stomach acid especially when it is caused by diseases such as gastrointestinal ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux or hiatal hernia.
Among the active ingredients most used, we recall:
- Lansoprazole (Lansox®, Lansoprazole EG®): lansoprazole is one of the most widely used proton pump inhibitors in therapy. It is available in pharmaceutical formulations in the form of capsules. Generally, for the treatment of stomach acid we recommend taking 15-30 mg of active ingredient a day for a period of at least four weeks.
- Pantoprazole (Pantorc®, Peptazol®): Pantoprazole is available as tablets. The dose of medication to be taken and the duration of treatment may depend on the type of pathology underlying the stomach acid. Usually, the recommended dose varies between 20 mg and 40 mg a day, to be taken an hour before meals, for a period that can vary from two to four weeks.
H2 antihistamines
Anatistamine H2 (or histamine H2 receptor antagonists, if you prefer), also constitute a class of drugs that is widely used in the treatment of stomach acid caused by different types of diseases and disorders.
Among the various active ingredients belonging to this class, we mention the progenitor: cimetidine (Ulis®). This active ingredient is available as tablets and granules for oral solution. Usually, in adult patients, we recommend taking 800 mg of cimetidine a day, in the evening before bedtime.
Cytoprotective agents
The cytoprotective agents are not drugs used to cure stomach acid itself, since they are unable to inhibit the synthesis of hydrochloric acid or to neutralize the excessively acidic environment that is created at the gastric level. However, thanks to their mechanism of action, they act by protecting the stomach mucosa from excessive acidity.
The active ingredients belonging to this group include sucralfate (Gastrogel®). This active ingredient, once it reaches the stomach, is able to form a gel that acts as a protective barrier against the gastric mucosa, thus hindering contact with hydrochloric acid.
Sucralfate is available in different pharmaceutical formulations in the form of tablets, gels, oral powder and oral suspension. When taken in the form of a gel, we recommend taking 1 gram of active ingredient twice a day, an hour before meals, or in the morning and evening before bedtime.
