News and Features Related to Heartburn/GERD
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Heartburn 101
There was a time when it didn’t take much to set off Sara Perlman-Smith’s heartburn. Spicy foods, alcohol, even a foul mood could send a burning wave rushing up her throat. "I could feel the acid in my esophagus," she recalls. "It was just a consistent burning pain in my chest." Then there was the c
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FDA Warns of Fracture Risk From Acid Reflux Drugs
May 25, 2010 -- Popular PPI antacids -- Aciphex, Dexilant, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix, Vimovo, and Zegerid -- raise the risk of bone fracture, especially when used for a year or more or at high doses, the FDA warns. The warning comes after U.S. and Canadian researchers linked the use of PP
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Infections, Fractures Linked to Acid Reflux Drugs
May 10, 2010 -- The popular class of antacids that includes Aciphex, Dexilant, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, and Protonix increases the risk of C. diff infection and bone fracture, new studies find. The drugs all are proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the most powerful class of antacid drugs. It's the th
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Nighttime Heartburn: 12 Sleep Tips
Nighttime heartburn affects four out of five people who suffer regular heartburn and acid reflux. The discomfort and bitter taste can make sleep uncomfortable, even elusive. While over-the-counter and prescription drugs can treat symptoms once you have heartburn, "the cornerstone of treatment for an
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FDA Warns of Maalox Mix-up Danger
Feb. 17, 2010 - At least five "serious adverse events" occurred in people who took Maalox Total Relief thinking it was Maalox antacid, the FDA warns. The two over-the-counter drugs are not the same. Maalox Total Relief contains bismuth subsalicylate, a drug with aspirin-like side effects that includ
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GERD-Related Injury May Have Immune Trigger
Nov. 23, 2009 -- Stomach acid may only be part of the problem when it comes to esophagus injury related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A new study suggests that an immune system response may be the real culprit behind reflux esophagitis. Researchers say it's been assumed that reflux eso
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Job Stress Brings Gastrointestinal Problems
Oct. 27, 2009 -- Stress can be hard on your gut. And that may be especially true when the work environment is extraordinarily stressful -- such as cleaning up after the 9/11 attacks or serving in the military, according to researchers who have found a link between these stressful jobs and gastrointe
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Study: Heartburn Drugs OK With Plavix?
Aug. 31, 2009 -- Heart patients who take the anti-clotting drug Plavix may safely take an acid-reducing proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drug, an analysis of two previously reported studies suggests. The new findings seem to contradict several recent studies showing negative outcomes in heart patients wh
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Study: Acid Reflux Drugs Cause Rebound Symptoms
July 2, 2009 -- Proton pump inhibitors are highly effective treatments for acid reflux symptoms, but taking prescription-strength dosages of the drugs for just a few months can lead to dependency, new research suggests. Healthy adults in the study with no history of acid reflux symptoms -- such as c
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Acid Blockers Linked to Pneumonia Risk
May 26, 2009 -- An estimated 33,000 deaths a year from hospital-acquired pneumonia may result from the practice of routinely prescribing proton pump inhibitors and other acid-suppressing drugs during hospitalization to patients who don't need them. Use of acid-reducing drugs was associated with a 30
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