MONDAY, March 22 (HealthDay News) — For millions of coffee-lovers with delicate stomachs, scientists may have found a way to enjoy an eye-opening cup of java without gastrointestinal discomfort.
European researchers studying stomach-irritating chemicals in coffee have unexpectedly found one that actually inhibits acid production in the stomach. Read More
THURSDAY, March 4 (HealthDay News) — Kapidex (dexlansoprazole) has been given the new name Dexilant — so approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — to avoid confusion with other drugs that have similar names.
There is no problem with Kapidex itself and, other than the name switch, nothing else will be changed about the drug, the FDA said. It’s a proton pump inhibitor, used to treat heartburn and other conditions caused by excess stomach acid. Read More
TUESDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDay News) — An experimental Alzheimer’s drug may help prevent esophageal cancer, a new study shows.
The drug, DBZ, currently in clinical trials for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, is known to have side effects on the lining of the lower colon. The cells that line the colon are similar to those seen in Barrett’s esophagus, a condition that can progress to esophageal cancer. Barrett’s esophagus occurs when chronic heartburn damages the lining of the esophagus. Read More
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2 (HealthDay News) — Merck & Co.’s Zegerid OTC (omeprazole/sodium bicarbonate) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat frequent heartburn, the company said Wednesday in a news release.
The over-the-counter product, to be available in the first half of next year, contains prescription Zegerid’s original formula, Merck said. The 14-day course of treatment is taken once daily to treat frequent heartburn for up to 24 hours. Read More
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 4 (HealthDay News) — Millions of Americans take drugs like Nexium, Prevacid and Prilosec to ease the erosive effects of acid reflux, but do these medicines put patients at risk for other health problems?
Experts remain divided on the potential dangers these common prescription medications might pose.
The drugs belong to a class of pharmaceuticals called “proton pump inhibitors,” or PPIs, which are generally considered safe and effective. But lately these acid-reducing medications have been the subject of studies linking their use to a number of health risks, from an increased rate of hip fracture to a greater likelihood of diarrhea and community-acquired pneumonia. Read More
TUESDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) — Metozolv (metoclopramide) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat diabetic gastroparesis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), drug maker Salix Pharmaceuticals said Tuesday.
Diabetic gastroparesis, caused by nerve damage, occurs when the stomach takes too long to empty. It affects up to 5 million people in the United States, and females are at greater risk than males, Salix said in a news release. Read More
TUESDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) — Antacids don’t interfere with anti-clotting drugs such as Plavix and Effient in patients who have suffered a heart attack or unstable angina, a new study finds.
The results counter other studies that concluded that a class of antacids known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) could block the effect of anti-clotting drugs. Doctors often prescribe PPIs along with anti-clotting drugs to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. Read More
FRIDAY, Aug. 21 (HealthDay News) — Chronic heartburn caused by acid reflux is one of the most common complaints among Americans, and a new study outlines which approaches appear to work best to ease patients’ suffering.
The Danish study found that people with the condition — formally called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — typically feel best when placed on medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) by a doctor with whom they have a good rapport. Read More
TUESDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) — Acupuncture relieves the indigestion and heartburn that bother many women as their pregnancy progresses, a new Brazilian study shows.
Indigestion is common during pregnancy, with up to 80 percent of moms-to-be suffering heartburn, stomach pain or discomfort, reflux, belching and bloating. Symptoms tend to worsen over time, and women who avoid taking medicine for fear of harming the developing fetus might welcome an alternative treatment. Read More
TUESDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) — Powerful and widely used antacids called proton pump inhibitors and histamine-2 receptor antagonists relieve stomach acid, but also appear to increase the risk of hip and thigh fractures, a new study confirms.
This new report, when coupled with findings from several other studies, supports the idea that these drugs increase the risk of bone breaks. Common proton pump inhibitors include Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium, while common histamine-2 receptor antagonists include Pepcid, Tagamet and Zantac. These drugs are typically used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Read More
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