I. Protonix Fact File
Protonix was first introduced by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Wyeth (formerly American Home Products), makes pharmaceuticals to treat cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and infectious diseases, as well as cancer, women's health concerns, depression, vaccines and infectious disease hemophilia, immunology, and oncology. Wyeth is also a leader in the development of nutritionals.
Wyeth is a global leader in pharmaceuticals, consumer health care products, and animal health care products. With research and development (R&D) programs focused on small molecules, vaccines, and biotechnology, Wyeth is exploring more than 60 new therapies for medical conditions such as diabetes, breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia.
Wyeth is a leader in women's health care with postmenopausal hormone therapy products for women, as well as hormone-based oral contraceptive products.
The company's best selling drugs include antidepressant Effexor, estrogen replacement therapy Premarin, and acid reflux disease drug Protonix. The company also makes vaccines and a line of nutritional products, including infant formulas and adult supplements.
II. Protonix Medication
Generic Protonix is a drug that is used to treat and maintain healing of erosive GERD (breaks in the lining of the esophagus) and relieve associated symptoms that may include frequent and persistent heartburn and stomach acid backup. Most patients heal within 8 weeks of treatment. Doctors may prescribe Protonix medication beyond 8 weeks to maintain healing or to prevent a recurrence of your symptoms.
Protonix medication is a "proton pump inhibitor," or PPI, that reduces the amount of acid your stomach produces. Studies have shown control of nighttime heartburn in patients with erosive GERD treated with Generic Protonix. When taken as prescribed, Protonix can maintain healing of the sores in the esophagus, erosive damage caused by GERD.
Generic Protonix medication has been demonstrated in a clinical trial to heal more than 9 out of 10 patients with erosive GERD within 8 weeks of beginning treatment. Doctors may recommend continuing Generic Protonix treatment to help maintain healing and to prevent nighttime heartburn symptoms from returning. Individual results may vary.
Generic Protonix has become the number one oral proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in hospitals. The reasons of Protonix used to treat erosive GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) — a condition in which sores develop in the lining of the esophagus:
Antacids: Information
Antacids are medicines that neutralize stomach acid. Antacids are used to relieve acid indigestion, upset stomach, sour stomach, and heartburn.
Antacids may be divided into two classes, those that work by chemical neutralization of gastric acid, most notably sodium bicarbonate; and those that act by adsorption of the acid (non-absorbable antacids), such as calcium and magnesium salts.
The chemical antacids show the most rapid onset of action, but may cause "acid rebound," a condition in which the gastric acid returns in greater concentration after the drug effect has stopped. Also, since these antacids may contain high concentrations of sodium, they may be inappropriate in patients with hypertension.
Calcium and magnesium salts act by adsorption of the acid, and are less prone to the rebound effect, but may have other significant disadvantages. These antacids are particularly prone to drug interactions, and patients taking other medications must often avoid simultaneous administration of the medications. These antacids are more effective in liquid formulations than in tablet or capsule form, and so may be inconvenient for routine dosing.
Additional components of some formulations include dimethicone, to reduce gas pains (flatulence) and alginic acid, which, in combination with antacids, may help manage GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease). Antacids should not be confused with gastric acid inhibitors, such as the H-2 receptor blockers (cimetidine, ranitide and others) or the proton pump inhibitors (lansoprazole, omeprazole, Esomeprazole, Pantoprazole and Rabeprazole). Although all three classes of drugs act to reduce the levels of gastric acid, their mechanisms are different, and this affects the appropriate use of the drug.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are one of the most commonly prescribed classes of medications in the primary care setting and are considered a major advance in the treatment of acid-peptic diseases. Since the introduction of omeprazole (Prilosec) in 1989, several other PPIs have become available. The intravenous form of pantoprazole (Protonix I.V.) is available, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the newest PPI, esomeprazole (Nexium), in 2001. PPIs inhibit the production of gastric acid. This allows the inflamed and damaged lining in the gullet (oesophagus) and the stomach to heal. Damage to the lining occurs in conditions such as oesophagitis (inflammation of the gullet), gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) and stomach ulcers (both duodenal & peptic).
Antacids have a rapid onset and short duration of action, and are most appropriate for rapid relief of gastric discomfort for a short period of time.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): Information
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder that is caused by gastric acid flowing from the stomach into the esophagus.
Gastroesophageal refers to the stomach and esophagus, and reflux means to flow back or return. Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) is the return of acidic stomach juices, or food and fluids, back up into the esophagus.
GERD is very common in infants, though it can occur at any age. It is the most common cause of vomiting during infancy.
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Diagram 1: Gastroesophageal reflux disease |
Nighttime GERD
Gastroesophageal reflux at night, or nighttime GERD, may worsen the damage to the esophagus, since acid reflux may be prolonged when lying down. Frequent and persistent nighttime heartburn can be a symptom of erosive Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or erosive GERD — a condition in which sores develop in the lining of the esophagus.
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Diagram 2: Nightime GERD |
Causes of GERD
GERD is often the result of conditions that affect the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES, a muscle located at the bottom of the esophagus, opens to let food in and closes to keep food in the stomach. When this muscle relaxes too often or for too long, acid refluxes back into the esophagus, causing vomiting or heartburn.
Everyone has gastroesophageal reflux from time to time. If you have ever burped and had an acid taste in your mouth, you have had reflux. The lower esophageal sphincter occasionally relaxes at inopportune times, and usually, all your child will experience is a bad taste in the mouth, or a mild, momentary feeling of heartburn.
Infants are more likely to have the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relax when it should remain shut. As food or milk is digesting, the LES opens and allows the stomach contents to go back up the esophagus. Sometimes, the stomach contents go all the way up the esophagus and the infant or child vomits. Other times, the stomach contents only go part of the way up the esophagus, causing heartburn, breathing problems, or, possibly, no problems at all.
Some foods seem to affect the muscle tone of the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing it to stay open longer than normal. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
- chocolate
- peppermint
- high-fat foods
Other foods increase acid production in the stomach, including:
- citrus foods
- tomatoes and tomato sauces
Symptoms of GERD
Heartburn, also called acid indigestion, is the most common symptom of GERD. Heartburn is described as a burning chest pain that begins behind the breastbone and moves upward to the neck and throat. It can last as long as two hours and is often worse after eating. Lying down or bending over can also result in heartburn.
The following are other common symptoms of GERD:
- belching
- refusal to eat
- stomachache
- fussiness around mealtimes
- frequent vomiting
- hiccups
- gagging
- choking
- frequent cough
- coughing fits at night
- wheezing
- frequent upper respiratory infections (colds)
- rattling in the chest
- frequent sore throats in the morning
- sour taste in the mouth
The symptoms of GERD may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Consult your physician for a diagnosis.
Side effects of Antacids
Side effects are very rare when antacids are taken as directed. They are more likely when the medicine is taken in large doses or over a long time. Minor side effects include a chalky taste, mild constipation or diarrhea, thirst, stomach cramps, and whitish or speckled stools. These symptoms do not need medical attention unless they do not go away or they interfere with normal activities.
Other uncommon side effects may occur. Anyone who has unusual symptoms after taking antacids should get in touch with his or her health care provider.
PPIs are generally well tolerated and any undesirable effects are usually mild and transient.
The most common adverse effects are headache, dizziness and tiredness. You may also experience diarrhea, rash, itching, gastric upsets, blurred vision, swollen ankles, depression, dry mouth and allergy. A problem that can occur with long-term use of proton pump inhibitors is stomach infections. Stomach acid helps to kill microscopic organisms (mircrobes) such as bacteria in the stomach. Because proton pump inhibitors completely stop acid production using them can lead to a growth of microbes in the stomach.
Alternate uses of Antacids
- The non-absorbable antacids may have additional uses beyond control of hyperacidity. Calcium salts may be used as diet supplements in prevention of osteoporosis.
- Aluminum carbonate is useful for binding phosphate, and has been effective in treatment and control of hyperphosphatemia or for use with a low phosphate diet to prevent formation of phosphate urinary stones. This application is particularly valuable in patients with chronic renal failure.
- Antacids with aluminum and magnesium hydroxides or aluminum hydroxide alone effectively prevent significant stress ulcer bleeding in post-operative patients or those with severe burns.
- Proton pump inhibitors are used to heal stomach and duodenal ulcers. This includes stomach ulcers caused by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are also used to relieve symptoms of oesophagitis (inflammation of the oesophagus or gullet) and severe gastro-oesophageal reflux, a condition where acid leaks up from the stomach into the gullet.
- In combination with certain antibiotics (e.g. amoxycillin and clarithromycin), proton pump inhibitors are used to get rid of Helicobacter pylori infection (a bacterial infection of the stomach), which is thought to be one of the main causes of recurring stomach ulcers.
- Proton pump inhibitors are also the drugs of first choice for a rare condition called ZollinGERD-Ellison syndrome. This is a condition where a tumour in the pancreas causes too much stomach acid to be produced and so leads to severe stomach ulceration.
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III. Useful links
Government http://www.cdc.gov/
http://www.fda.gov/
http://www.fda.gov/cder/ogd/
http://www.nih.gov/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/
National Library of Medicine
World Health Organization
Health Sites
http://www.mayoclinic.com/index.cfm
MedicineNet.com
Drugdigest.org
Healthsquare.com
http://www.wyeth.com/products/wpp_products/protonix_pi.asp
http://www.wyeth.com/products/all.asp
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/antacids.jsp
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20020715/273.html
Pharmacy sites
http://www.roche.com/home/company/com_hist.htm
http://www.healthdigest.org/Bactrim-DS(Oral)_2006_PRO.php
http://www.hsforum.com/stories/storyReader$1509
http://www.hsforum.com/stories/storyReader$1516
http://www.hsforum.com/stories/storyReader$1504
http://www.people.vcu.edu/~urdesai/atc.htm#Process%20of%20clotting
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