Medical Innovation Director, GSK Consumer Healthcare Pte Ltd., Singapore.
Medical Affairs Director, GSK Consumer Healthcare Pte Ltd., Gurugram (Haryana), India.
J Int Med Res. 2022 Mar;50(3):3000605221086457. doi: 10.1177/03000605221086457.
Heartburn and acid regurgitation are the typical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux. Despite the availability of several treatment options, antacids remain the mainstay treatment for gastroesophageal reflux-related symptoms based on their efficacy, safety, and over-the-counter availability. Antacids are generally recommended for adults and children at least 12 years old, and the FDA recommends antacids as the first-line treatment for heartburn in pregnancy. This narrative review summarizes the mechanism, features, and limitations related to different antacid ingredients and techniques available to study the acid neutralization and buffering capacity of antacid formulations. Using supporting clinical evidence for different antacid ingredients, it also discusses the importance of antacids as OTC medicines and first-line therapies for heartburn, particularly in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which reliance on self-care has increased. The review will also assist pharmacists and other healthcare professionals in helping individuals with heartburn to make informed self-care decisions and educating them to ensure that antacids are used in an optimal, safe, and effective manner.
烧心和胃酸反流是胃食管反流的典型症状。尽管有多种治疗选择，但基于其疗效、安全性和非处方可用性，抗酸剂仍然是胃食管反流相关症状的主要治疗方法。抗酸剂通常推荐给至少 12 岁的成年人和儿童使用，FDA 建议抗酸剂作为治疗妊娠烧心的一线药物。本综述总结了不同抗酸剂成分的作用机制、特点和局限性，并介绍了用于研究抗酸剂配方的酸中和和缓冲能力的相关技术。此外，还使用了不同抗酸剂成分的支持性临床证据，讨论了抗酸剂作为非处方药物和胃灼热一线治疗药物的重要性，尤其是在 COVID-19 大流行期间，人们更加依赖自我护理。该综述还将帮助药剂师和其他医疗保健专业人员帮助有烧心症状的个体做出明智的自我护理决策，并对他们进行教育，以确保抗酸剂以最佳、安全和有效的方式使用。
