Medication Education
I asked my husband what he knew about Tums tablets that he sometimes takes for his heartburn. He knew quite a few facts about these tablets: (1) Classification – antacids, calcium carbonate (2) Indication – peptic ulcer disease and GERD, heartburn relief due to neutralization of acid in the stomach, (3) my husband was not aware of any side effects, he only knew about additional benefit of getting calcium for your system (4) dose – take 1-2 oral chewable tablets.
I did a little bit of research on Tums before talking to my husband so I could justify any information that I gave him. I wanted to make sure that any education I provide was evidence-based. I found out that calcium carbonate was once considered an ideal antacid, but its use has declined due to some of the side effects of this drug (Lehne, 2013). One of the main concerns is the acid rebound effect, which happens when acid is actually stimulated more and worsens the condition of the patient. Another big concern is constipation, belching and flatulence due to the release of CO2 in the stomach (Lehne, 2013). In the article “GERD as a motility disorder: A new way of thinking,” Dr. Galland states that Tums actually produce acid relief effect by a different mechanism (Liebert, 2012). He says that calcium carbonate tightens lower esophageal sphincter due to the calcium effect on the muscle tone (Liebert, 2012). He based his conclusion on the study published in the article “Calcium carbonate antacids alter esophageal motility in heartburn sufferers.” This study found that Ca2+ released after chewing of CaCO3 antacids may be partially responsible for the reduction of heartburn by significantly improving initiation of peristalsis and acid clearance (Rodriguez-Stanley et al, 2004). I was glad we had this blog so I could find some new facts for myself and share this information with my husband. Thank you.
References
Lehne, R. A. (2013). Pharmacology for nursing care (8th ed.). St. Lois, Mo.: Elsevier/Saunders.
Liebert, M. (2012). GERD as a motility disorder: A new way of thinking. Alternative & Complementary Therapies, 18(6), 292-296.
Rodriguez-Stanley, S., Ahmed, T., Zubaidi, S., Riley, S., Akbarali, H., Mellow, M., & Miner, P. (2004). Calcium carbonate antacids alter esophageal motility in heartburn sufferers. Digestive diseases and sciences, 49(11-12), 1862-1867.
