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Heartburn medications are used by millions of people in the U.S. — in fact, it's estimated that one in 10 people experience heartburn at least once a week. That's about 25 million people with heartburn, but many medications are available to ease the pain and discomfort.
Heartburn occurs when the stomach's juices flow upwards (in the wrong direction) into the esophagus. The underlying cause is usually a malfunctioning lower esophageal sphincter (LES), the normally one-way valve that should be keeping the stomach's juices down in the stomach. The medical term for the upward flow of the stomach's acids is "reflux."
The list of medications for heartburn includes several categories, depending on how the medications work:
Promotility Agents
Reglan is a typical promotility, prescription-only heartburn medication that both strengthens the LES and helps the stomach empty sooner to keep reflux from occurring. Notably, Reglan is the subject of a February 2009 advisory from the FDA.
Proton Pump Inhibitors
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) treat heartburn by deactivating the acid "pumps" in the cells of the stomach, inhibiting the secretion of acids that would reflux into the esophagus. Examples of PPIs are:
H2 Blockers
H2 blockers, also known as histamine receptor antagonists, block the production of stomach acids by inhibiting the action of histamine, a chemical that stimulates acid secretion. The effects of the following H2 blockers last about 10 hours at the most:
Up to half of all pregnant women experience heartburn. The hormonal changes experienced in pregnancy can make the LES relax and let stomach acids reflux, and the expanding uterus may also apply upward pressure on the stomach. A pregnant woman suffering from heartburn should consult her doctor before taking Reglan medication or other heartburn medicine, in light of the potential side effects.
Even a relatively small amount of weight gain can produce heartburn, as can eating too much of the wrong kind of food — that is, food with a high acid or fat content. Lifestyle changes (e.g., exercise and proper diet) can alleviate many cases of heartburn that are due to excess body weight.
For more information about the risks associated with heartburn medications, contact our Regaln lawyers.
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