Heartburn Medicine

Heartburn is not actually a disease condition, rather it is a symptom of gastroesophageal acid reflux disease (GERD). Also known as acid indigestion, it is felt as a burning sensation in the chest portion, especially behind the sternum. Common signs that accompany heartburn are chest pain, swallowing difficulty and regurgitation of sour tasting fluid at the back of throat. Mild condition is quite normal and is recovered with lifestyle changes. Nevertheless, heartburn medicine is recommended for people with severe cases of heartburn to stop it from graduating to a painful condition of ulcer over the period of time.

Heartburn Medicine Information

Burning sensation in the chest area and associated heartburn symptoms often mimic other health problems. Like for instance; intestinal disorder and cardiac problem are medical conditions that may cause heartburn like symptoms. Also, some medications cause side effect, which is similar to heartburn. Hence, before advocating heartburn medicine, it is necessary for every patient to undergo correct diagnosis process. In most cases, heartburn pain and discomfort are manifested after having meals. They are also exacerbated while lying down or bending over.

If heartburn is left untreated, repeated acid reflux to the upper digestive tract for an extended period will cause damaging effects to the esophagus. There are two types of heartburn medicine, Over-the-Counter (OTC) and prescription. The former type can be administered without the consent of doctor. To be more precise, an over-the-counter heartburn medicine brand is safe and effective for treating mild heartburn conditions. Whereas, prescription medicine for heartburn relief is administered only under the supervision of a trusted doctor. The following are some medications for heartburn:

Antacid Medicine
The best heartburn medicine that is sold over the counter is antacid. It is formulated with one or more of the ingredients, calcium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium and aluminum hydroxide. Available in liquid and table forms, antacids neutralize the acid secreted by the stomach and helps in relieving burning sensation.

Acid Blocker Medicine
Acid blockers for heartburn treatment are sold as OTC or prescription medications. Based on the medicine formulation, there are two types of acid blockers, viz. Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) and Histamine Antagonist (H2 antagonist). The PPIs block acid secretion for an extended period, while histamine antagonists counteract histamine (a trigger for acid production).

Combination Medicine
Combination heartburn medicine is available as OTC drug. As the name signifies, it is made up of antacid and acid blocker. Purported as a quick pain relieving medication for heartburn, it combines the effect of antacid that aids in acid neutralization and acid blocker that helps in blocking the acid production of the stomach.

At times, pregnant women report heartburn pain. Fortunately, there are effective heartburn cures for such cases. However, selecting heartburn medicine for pregnant women should be done cautiously. Antacids formulated with calcium carbonate or magnesium hydroxide are safe for treating heartburn during pregnancy. One the safer side, it is always better for a pregnant woman to seek doctor's advice when taking medicine for heartburn.

Heartburn Medicine List

There are a plethora of heartburn medications, which are purported for alleviating heartburn pain and discomfort. Listed below are OTC medicine and prescription medicine for heartburn treatment.

List of OTC Medicine for Heartburn

• Surpass Gum
• Alka-Seltzer
• Milk of Magnesia
• Alternagel
• Gelusil
• Alka-2
• Titralac
• Tums
• Gaviscon
• Mylanta
• Axid AR
• Tagamet HB
• Zantac 75
• Pepcid AC
• Pepto-Bismol
• Maalox
• Riopan
• Rolaids
• Pepcid Complete

List of Prescription Medicine for Heartburn

• Kapidex
• Zegerid
• Prilosec
• Aciphex
• Prevacid
• Nexium
• Protonix
• Zegerid
• Pepcid
• Zantac
• Tagamet
• Axid

As you have seen above, the same over-the-counter medicine is sold as a prescription drug, but with a greater strength. For both the medicine types, long-term usage is not recommended. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), using heartburn drugs (that inhibit stomach acids) for more than a year increases the risk of bone fractures. So, do not neglect heartburn medicine warnings mentioned in the product leaflet. There are also heartburn home remedies, which one can follow for addressing the problem in a natural way.

While taking OTC heartburn medicine, one needs to refer to the dosage directions mentioned on the package. If mild heartburn symptoms persist for more than 1-2 weeks or turn in to constant heartburn, get the condition examined by a doctor. After diagnosis, medications and lifestyle modifications will be instructed for effective heartburn treatment. For prescription medicine, strictly follow the recommendations of the physician.