Whether your symptoms reflect upper digestive tract problems or lower gastrointestinal conditions, there are prescriptions and over-the-counter medications to prevent or treat your disorder. When food is swallowed into the esophagus, the digestive process begins and automatically continues through your gastrointestinal system until removal with defecation. Treatable conditions and disorders such as vomiting, indigestion, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric or peptic ulcers, constipation and diarrhea can occur along the way and for a variety of reasons.
Antacids and Anti-flatulents
Antacids decrease total stomach acid by reacting with acid and releasing carbon dioxide, improving esophageal sphincter tone and includes sodium bicarbonate or baking soda, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium oxide and calcium carbonate. The anti-flatulent drugs work to dissolve and hinder the process of gas pocket formation along the digestive tract with simethicone, an anti-foaming drug used to reduce bloating. Some medications, such as baking soda, can serve a dual purpose, treating both acid and gas.
Anti-diarrheals and Laxatives
Antidiarrheals decrease the movement of waste through your intestine by slowing transit time, and include medications such as loperamide, atropine sulfate, bismuth subsalicylate, rifaximin and psyllium. Laxatives improve bowel movements by increasing the size of bowel contents, using fluid to build up the quantity. Medications include docusate sodium, bisacodyl, lactulose and sodium phosphates. Saline laxative enemas pull water into your intestine to expand colon contents and aid bowel movements.
Anti-emetics
Nausea and vomiting, often occurring together, can have a variety of causes, from flu virus symptoms to food contamination. Anti-emetics, medications used to treat and prevent nausea and vomiting, hinder the processes stemming from the vomiting center in the brain and include dimenhydrinate and prochlorperazine. Metoclopramide hydrochloride treats nausea and vomiting by improving movement through the upper digestive tract starting in the stomach and increasing tone in the esophageal sphincter.
Anti-ulcer
Ulcers, gastric or peptic, occur when bacteria, high gastric acid secretions or normal defense mechanisms break down, allowing gastric acid damage to mucous membranes in the stomach or duodenum. Anti-ulcer medications work to decrease the production and secretion of stomach acids. Medications such as cimetidine, famotidine and ranitidine hydrochloride diminish the secretion of gastric acids, while omeprazole obstructs the development of gastric acid and lansoprazole halts gastric acid secretions.
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