Acid suppressants
ACID SUPPRESSANTS
For dyspepsia of an unidentified cause, the NICE CKS recommends lifestyle advice should be discussed along with short-term use of an antacid/alginate. If symptoms persist or recur following this initial management, a proton pump inhibitor or H2-receptor antagonist therapy should be used at the lowest dose needed to control symptoms.2
PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS (PPIs)
PPIs act via inhibition of the hydrogen potassium adenosine triphosphate enzyme (H+/K+ ATP-ase), also known as the proton pump, of the gastric parietal cells in the stomach lining.15 They have long-lasting effects. Examples available OTC for frequent heartburn include esomeprazole and omeprazole. PPIs may be recommended for recurrent symptoms. They should be taken once daily and may take a few days to have full effect. OTC PPIs can be used for up to two weeks.
CLICK TO FIND OUT MOREESOMEPRAZOLE - MECHANISM OF ACTION
Esomeprazole is the active enantiomer of omeprazole. An enantiomer is a pair of molecules that are mirror images but cannot be superimposed on each other.
H2-RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS (H2-RAs)
H2-receptor antagonists (H2-RAs), such as cimetidine/famotidine (prescription only) inhibit gastric acid secretion.
CLICK TO FIND OUT MOREH2-RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS (H2-RAS) - MECHANISM OF ACTION
These are known as competitive antagonists and reduce gastric acid secretions by reversibly binding to the H2 receptors found on the gastric parietal cells.16