Don\'t answer if you don\'t have a citation BIOL 2414 Digestive system How do An

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Don't answer if you don't have a citation BIOL 2414 Digestive system How do Antacids and Acid Reducers work? Antacids and Acid Reducers: OTC Relief for Heartburn and Acid Reflux Antacids and Acid Reducers: OTC Relief for Heartburn and Acid Reflux What types of OTC products treat heartburn? Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are medicines you can buy without a d octor's prescription. There are 3 types of OTC medicines that treat heartburn: Antacids reduce the effect of (neutralize) the acid in your stomach. They can provide fast short-term relief. Many OTC medicines combine different antacids H2 blockers reduce the amount of acid your stomach makes. While they don't relieve symptoms right away. H2 blockers relieve symptoms for a longer period of time tharn antacids. They usually start to work within an hour. Examples of H2 blockers available over the counter are ranitidine (brand name: Zantac) or famotidine (brand name: Pepcid). Proton pump inhibitors greatly reduce your body's production of acid. They work well for heartburn that isn't resolved by antacids or H2 blockers. It may take a little longer for a proton pump inhibitor to help your symptoms than an H2 blocker, but relief will last longer These medicines are most helpful for people who have heartburn often more than 2 days a week. Omeprazole (brand name: Prilosec) and lansoprazole (brand name: Prevacid 24HR) are examples of OTC proton pump inhibitors. To find out which medicine is right for you, talk to your family doctor. How do antacids and acid reducers work? Antacids work by neutralizing the acid produced by your stomach. H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors work by decreasing the amount of acid your stomach makes. What are some common side effects of heartburn medicines? Antacids and acid reducers usually cause only minor side effects that go away on their own. These may include headaches, nausea, constipation or diarrhea. Who shouldn't take OTC antacids and acid reducers? If you have kidney disease, you shouldn't use antacids containing calcium carbonate or aluminum hydroxide and magnesium carbonate without your doctor's recommendation.

Explanation / Answer

Antacids are the substances which reduce the acidity of stomach. They neutralise the effect of acid and therefore protects the mucous membranes of stomach and oesophagus. They are used to treat the symptoms of heartburn, acid reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Some of the commonly used antacids include sodium bicarbonate and aluminum hydroxide.

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