Gastropathy such as digestive ulcer and acute or chronic gastritis is a common disease. There are many kinds of drugs to treat gastropathy, and the mechanism of action of drugs are different. It is important to know the correct medication time and way of drug combination in order to have good efficacy. Here is a introduction of medication time for common Gastrointestinal drugs.
Promotility Agents
- Representative drugs: metoclopramide, domperidone, cisapride, mosapride, etc.
- Medication Time: It is usually taken half an hour before meal. The effect of the medicine just reaches its peak during meal time. It can enhance gastrointestinal motility and has a good effect on pantothenic acid, belching and bloating.
Histamine2 Blockers
- Representative drugs:Cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine, nizatidine, etc.
- Histamine2 Blockers have small irritation to the gastric mucosa, and their absorption are basically not affected by the contents of the stomach. They are generally prescribed to be taken after a meal or before going to bed.
Proton Pump Inhibitors
- Representative drugs:Omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole and esomeprazole, etc.
- Medication Time:Proton Pump Inhibitors are with strong and long lasting acid-inhibiting effect. The absorption of these drugs are mostly interfered by food in the stomach, it is best to take them on an empty stomach in the morning or before going to bed.
Antacids
- Representative drugs:Aluminum hydroxide, magnesium oxide, magnesium trisilicate, calcium carbonate, etc. The main role is to directly neutralize gastric acid and quickly relieve stomach pain.
- Medication Time:Patients with stomach problems take antacids to neutralize excessive stomach acid.It should generally be taken half an hour before a meal or when stomach pain occurs.
Gastric Mucosal Protective Drugs
- Representative drugs:Misoprostol, sucralfate, potassium bismuth citrate, etc.
- The key to the effect of gastric mucosal protective drugs is the concentration of the drug in the stomach. If there is food in the stomach, it will reduce the concentration of the drug and reduce the efficacy of the drug. So the best time to take Gastric mucosal protective drug is between meals or before going to bed.
Other Gastrointestinal Drugs Tips
- Sucralfate and bismuth preparations form a protective film on the mucosal injury in acidic environment. So if use antacids in combination with acid inhibitors, the medication time should be staggered;
- Hydromagnesium carbonate is often used in combination with acid inhibitors, but ther should be a interval of 1 to 2 hours.
- Promotility Agents and anticholinergic drugs (such as atropine) should not be used in combination. There should be a interval of 1 – 2 hours if necessary.
- Pepsin needs to be active in a certain acidic environment, so it is not suitable to be used in combination with antacids and anti-acid drugs.
- H2 receptor antagonist and proton pump inhibitor are two types of acid inhibitors, which can be used together when needed.
