Pump-inhibitor medications, referred to as proton pump inhibitors or PPIs, are medications used to reduce stomach acid production. Nineteen different types of PPI are listed on Drugs.com, a standard online reference on pharmaceuticals. According...
It may seem a paradox that folks who love to eat are those who most often end up with tummy troubles. Yet, it may actually be your inner foodie that is the source of your malaise. It is tempting to look for the quickest remedy that will make the...
Lanolin, or Adeps lanae, has also been called wool wax, wool fat and wool grease. It is a natural fatty acid secreted by animals that produce wool. Lanolin has a long history of use and today can be found in its refined forms in numerous cosmetics...
Prevacid, or lansoprazole, is used for short-term therapy of duodenal ulcers and erosive esophagitis, which is inflammation and irritation of the lining of the esophagus. Short-term therapy means 1 to 2 months, depending on the condition being...
Multivitamins taken as directed can supplement your existing healthy lifestyle or correct deficiencies. However, if multivitamins or single-vitamin supplements are taken beyond the upper limits, you might develop vitamin toxicity, which can result...
Some people mistakenly think they can significantly boost their health or possibly even cure a health problem that they are experiencing by increasing the amount of vitamins they take. Although vitamins can fill in the gap where your dietary...
Heartburn, also called gastric reflux, is the result of stomach acid passing through the cardiac sphincter at the top of the stomach into the esophagus. While the lining of the stomach is tough and designed to withstand acid, the esophagus, like...
Caffeine is a substance that naturally exists in some plants but is also produced synthetically and added to certain foods and drinks, according to National Institutes of Health online medical encyclopedia Medline Plus. Some major sources of...
Nexium is the brand name of the generic drug esomeprazole, and belongs in a class of medications known as proton pump inhibitors. It works by turning off, at the cellular level, the part of the stomach, the proton pump, that produces stomach acid,...
Gastritis, or acid stomach, is inflammation in the stomach. It is caused by factors which enable the acidic environment of the stomach to damage and inflame the stomach wall. Causes include infections, alcohol and medications, traumatic injuries,...
Most babies have some degree of reflux, which is the involuntary passage of stomach content back into the esophagus. A group of babies will develop gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), where they'll have symptoms of pain, colic-like crying,...
A hiatal hernia is a condition in which the stomach literally moves up through the diaphragm, or the muscle that helps with breathing. People who suffer with this medical condition may be unaware of it until their physicians investigate the root...
Stomach acid is primarily made up of chloride and hydrogen ions (the latter of which are often referred to as protons). It is the protons that make the contents of the stomach acidic. Because there is a higher concentration of protons in the...
An ulcer refers to a sore found in the lining of your digestive tract, according to the Family Doctor Website of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Symptoms of an ulcer include burning pain in your stomach or esophagus (tube that leads...
Drug overdose occurs when an amount of drug in excess of the recommended dose is ingested. Overdose can be intentional, but it can also happen accidentally as a result of other drug and/or alcohol interactions. Overdosing on Lexapro, a drug for...
Antihistamines are used in both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications to block the effects of histamines on the body. Specifically, it may be used to treat sneezing, runny nose, itching, watery eyes, hives, rash, itching and/or other...
Acid stomach is a disorder in which the stomach overproduces gastric acid, or HCl. The acid can begin to eat away at the stomach lining, and can reflux into the esophagus via the cardiac sphincter. Since the esophagus is sensitive to acid, this...
Zegerid, also known as omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate, is a proton pump inhibitor. According to Texas Health and Human Services, proton pump inhibitors are drugs used to treat and prevent stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers, erosive esophagitis due...
Aciphex, also known as raberprazole, belongs to a class of medications known as proton pump inhibitors. According to FamilyDoctor.org, proton pump inhibitors are used to decrease the production of stomach acid. Aciphex is used to treat and prevent...
The diaphragm, a muscle that enables breathing, separates the upper part of the body from the abdomen. It also has an opening through which the esophagus goes to connect with the stomach. A hiatal hernia occurs when part of the stomach protrudes...
Pantoprazole Sodium DR (also known as Protonix) is a delayed release medication used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This malady can cause both heartburn and damage to the food pipe due to stomach acid back up. Pantoprazole works...
Iron is a mineral that the body needs to produce red blood cells. Red blood cells contain an oxygen-carrying protein known as hemoglobin. When the body does not get enough iron, it cannot produce healthy red blood cells, and iron deficiency anemia...
Stomach acid is produced by cells in the stomach, known as parietal cells, to aid in digestion. The acid helps break down food and also activates proteins that are essential for the digestive process. Stomach acid can result in heartburn and...
Stomach acid is an important part of the digestive system. Stomach acid serves to help break down food, but it also can be used to activate digestive enzymes, which are special proteins that help break down some of the components of food. These...
A stomach ulcer is a sore in the stomach lining or duodenum, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. It arises due to a Helicobacter pylori infection or ongoing use of aspirin or ibuprofen, Medline Plus...
Gastro-esophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a medical condition of involuntary passage of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus. This causes heartburn, a pressure-like, sharp pain in the middle of the chest. It can also cause sour stomach,...
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is caused by stomach acid flowing up (refluxing) into the esophagus. Stomach acid is normally prevented from flowing into the esophagus by a ring of smooth muscle at the bottom of the esophagus called the...
Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that alcohol use causes nearly 80,000 deaths annually. In 2005, more than 1.6 million hospitalizations and 4 million emergency room visits were...
Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside that is used to treat heart failure and atrial fibrillation. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), digoxin toxicity can be fatal and treatment should be initiated immediately once symptoms of toxicity...
