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Treatments for indigestionThis factsheet is for people who would like information about taking medicines for indigestion. Your stomach produces acid to digest food, but sometimes stomach acid can cause discomfort in the form of indigestion and heartburn. These medicines work on the stomach to relieve the symptoms.
Why would I take them?Indigestion is the pain and discomfort in your upper abdomen or chest that can develop after a meal. You might feel a burning sensation in your chest, known as heartburn. For more information, please see the separate BUPA health factsheet, Indigestion. One of the causes of indigestion is your stomach acids (which digest your food) leaking back into your oesophagus (food pipe) and causing irritation. Doctors call this backflow reflux, and the condition is called gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or GORD for short. Other problems that can cause indigestion and heartburn include hiatus hernia and infection with a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori), which can cause peptic ulcers. For more information, please see the separate BUPA health factsheets, Peptic ulcer and Hiatus hernia. What are the main types?There are three main medicines for indigestion and GORD:
How do indigestion medicines work?The three types of medicines for indigestion work in different ways. Antacids and alginatesAntacids usually contain aluminium or magnesium. These are alkalis, which work by neutralising stomach acid. Alginates, such as sodium alginate, are another common ingredient of indigestion remedies. These work by forming a protective coating over the walls of the stomach and oesophagus. There are many different types, often containing a combination of antacid, alginates and other ingredients. These include calcium (an antacid), simeticone (for wind and bloating) and peppermint oil (for wind and bloating, especially in people with irritable bowel syndrome). H2-blockersA chemical called histamine (produced naturally by the body) causes cells in the stomach to make acid. H2-blockers stop histamine from working on these cells and so lowers the amount of acid produced in your stomach. Proton pump inhibitorsThe proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) work by completely blocking the production of stomach acid. They do this by shutting down (inhibiting) a system in the stomach known as the proton pump. PPIs are for treating:
How to take indigestion medicinesAntacids and alginatesYour doctor can only prescribe a few simple antacids such as magnesium carbonate or aluminium hydroxide on the NHS. If you want the more expensive combination preparations (ones that contain more than one ingredient) you will usually have to buy them from your pharmacist. Even if these are no more effective than simpler products, you may find the taste and texture more acceptable, or the presentation (as sweet-style lozenges for example) more convenient for you. Ask your pharmacist for further advice. Antacids come as tablets, capsules, liquids or powders. Liquid and powder preparations are more effective than tablets and capsules but they may be less convenient to carry around. Antacid-containing medicines are best taken when you get, or expect to get, indigestion symptoms. This is usually about an hour after a meal and when you go to bed. H2-blockersYou can buy some H2-blockers from your pharmacist without a prescription. Your doctor may prescribe medicines from this group in stronger doses and for longer courses for digestive problems such as GORD and ulcers. H2-blockers come as tablets. To relieve indigestion, you should take a tablet as soon as you get symptoms. You can take a further tablet if symptoms don't go away or come back, but you shouldn't take more than the maximum dose recommended on the packet - usually two or four tablets per day depending on the brand. Proton pump inhibitorsYou can buy omeprazole from your pharmacist without a prescription. You should take two 10mg tablets whole, with plenty of liquid before a meal. It works best if you take them once a day for three or four days. This gives the medicine time to work on stopping your stomach making acid. You can use this medicine for 28 days - if your symptoms continue for longer than this, you should ask your doctor for advice. When prescribed by your doctor, PPIs treat stomach and duodenal ulcers. They are also used to relieve symptoms of GORD, and as part of the treatment to get rid of H.pylori infection. Your doctor may prescribe a combination of an H2-blocker or a PPI plus antibiotics to treat an infection with the bacterium H.pylori. Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine. Special careUse indigestion remedies with care if you have liver or kidney problems, you are pregnant or breastfeeding or if you are on a salt-restricted diet. Side-effectsAntacids containing magnesium tend to have a laxative action, whereas those containing aluminium may cause constipation. Magnesium carbonate can cause belching due to carbon dioxide gas being released the stomach. Side-effects of H2-blockers and PPIs can include:
Interactions with other medicinesCheck with your doctor or pharmacist before you take any other medicines or herbal remedies at the same time as an indigestion treatment. Be aware that antacids can affect how your body absorbs other medicines. Names of common indigestion medicinesExamples of common indigestion treatments are shown in the table. The generic name is the chemical name of a medicine. If a manufacturer has rights over a medicinal compound, it is given a brand name. Often there is more than one brand name associated with a generic name. Generic names are normally written with a lower-case initial letter and brand names normally start with an upper-case letter.
Further information
Sources
Published by BUPA's health information team, healthinfo@bupa.com, February 2007.
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