Definition
The term "dyspepsia" originates from the Greek and literally means "difficult digestion". In fact, this term indicates that condition - or set of conditions - that the patient describes as a whole as "bad digestion".
This disorder is quite common in western countries and is closely related to the dietary habits of these populations.
Causes
The causes that cause dyspepsia may be different. Among these, we recall a poor diet, obesity, the presence of Helicobacter pylori infections, some types of gastrointestinal diseases, such as gastritis, gastric ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux disease, the use of some types of medicines (such as, for example, NSAIDs, theophylline, iron, etc.) and the abuse of smoke and / or alcohol.
Symptoms
The symptoms triggered by dyspepsia usually involve the upper part of the abdomen and consist of eructations, heartburn, halitosis, acid regurgitation, pain in the upper abdomen and a long and difficult sensation of digestion.
Furthermore, in some cases, patients suffering from dyspepsia may also experience difficulty swallowing, vomiting, coughing and headache.
Information on Dyspepsia - Medications to Treat Bad Digestion is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Dyspepsia - Medications to Cure Bad Digestion.
drugs
Since dyspepsia can be caused by several factors, it is clear from the outset that first line treatment must be aimed at treating the primary cause that gave rise to poor digestion.
For example, if the dyspepsia originates from an infection sustained by Helicobacter pylori, it is necessary to institute an adequate antibiotic therapy to counteract the infectious agent (for more detailed indications, see the article "Triple therapy for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori ").
Similarly, if the dyspepsia is caused by a bad diet, or by the abuse of alcohol and / or smoking, it is necessary to intervene directly on the diet and on the lifestyle of the patients.
However, some medications can be used to alleviate the symptoms caused by poor digestion, so a symptomatic treatment can be undertaken. The most commonly used drugs are antacids, prokinetics, proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor antagonists. These last two classes of drugs, however, are mostly used when dyspepsia is caused by gastrointestinal disorders such as gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease and gastric ulcer.
Antacids
Antacids are drugs used in the symptomatic treatment of heartburn that can be caused by dyspepsia. Their effect is rapid and temporary.
Among the various antacids that can be used, we recall:
- Magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide (Maalox ®): these two compounds are used in combination against stomach acid. They are available in different pharmaceutical formulations suitable for oral administration. When administered as chewable tablets, the dose usually used in adults and adolescents over 18 years of age is 1-2 tablets (containing 400 mg of each hydroxide), to be taken up to four times a day, after meals and before going to bed.
prokinetics
Prokinetics are drugs that help and stimulate intestinal motility. Furthermore, they can also be used to combat vomiting. Among the most commonly used active ingredients, we find:
- Domperidone (Peridon ®, Motilium ®): domperidone is available in pharmaceutical formulations suitable for oral administration (tablets and oral solutions) and rectal (suppositories).
The dose of domperidone usually administered orally in adults and adolescents over 12 years of age is 10 mg, to be taken up to a maximum of three times a day. In any case, it is always a good idea to ask for your doctor's advice and follow the instructions provided by it.
- Metoclopramide (Plasil ®): metoclopramide is a drug available for oral and parenteral administration.
Generally, the dose used orally in adult patients is 10 mg of drug, to be taken at most three times a day. However, even in this case, when using the drug, it is necessary to follow the instructions provided by the doctor.
Proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor antagonists
Proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor antagonists are drugs that work by reducing the secretion of hydrochloric acid to the gastric level.
However, as mentioned, these medicines are used when dyspepsia is caused by particular gastrointestinal diseases.
In fact, these classes of drugs have specific therapeutic indications for the treatment of pathologies such as gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease and gastric and duodenal ulcers.
Therefore, the aforementioned drugs are not used to treat dyspepsia itself, but to cure the possible cause underlying its onset.
For more detailed information regarding the treatment of these disorders, please refer to the articles already published on this site ("Drugs to cure gastritis", "Gastroesophageal reflux cure drugs", "Ulcer healing drugs").
