Acid reflux treatment medicine
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Acid Reflux Medicine
Antacids
These are alkali liquids or tablets that neutralize the acid. A dose usually gives quick relief. There are many brands which you can buy. You can also get some on prescription. You can use antacids 'as required' for mild or infrequent bouts of heartburn.
Acid-suppressing drugs
If you get
acid reflux symptoms frequently then see a doctor.
An acid-suppressing drug will usually be advised. Two groups of
acid-suppressing drugs are available - proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and
histamine receptor blockers (H2 blockers). They work in different ways
but both reduce (suppress) the amount of acid that the stomach makes.
Proton pump inhibitors include: omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole,
rabeprazole, and esomeprazole. H2 blockers include: cimetidine,
famotidine, nizatidine, and ranitidine.
In general, a proton pump inhibitor is used first as these drugs tend to
work better than H2 blockers. A common initial plan is to take a full
dose course of a proton pump inhibitor for a month or so. This often
settles symptoms down and allows any inflammation in the oesophagus to
clear. After this, all that you may need is to go back to antacids 'as
required' or to take a short course of an acid suppressing drug 'as
required'.
However, some people need long-term daily acid suppressing treatment.
Without medication,
acid reflux symptoms return quickly. Long-term treatment
with an acid-suppressing drug is thought to be safe, and side-effects
are uncommon. The aim is to take a full dose course for a month or so to
settle
symptoms. After this, it is common to 'step-down' the dose to the
lowest dose that prevents
symptoms. However, the maximum full dose taken
each day is needed by some people.
Prokinetic drugs
These are drugs that speed up the passage of food through the stomach. They include domperidone and metoclopramide. They are not commonly used but help in some cases, particularly if you have marked bloating or belching symptoms.
Surgery
An operation can 'tighten' the lower oesophagus to prevent acid leaking up from the stomach. It can be done by 'keyhole' surgery. In general, the success of surgery is no better than acid-suppressing medication. However, surgery may be an option for some people whose quality of life remains significantly affected by their condition and where drug treatment is not working well or not wanted long-term.
