Gerd, Diet, Lifestyle

Treatment or management of heartburn, GERD or acid reflux, using medications and drugs like PPI and is for patients and the public.

This video will attempt to answer the following QUESTIONS;
What are PPI or proton pump inhibitors ?
Are medicines like PPIs safe ?

WORD INDEX:
• PPI are an abbreviation for proton pump inhibitors . These medicines reduce acid production by the stomach and are the mainstay of treatment for acid reflux.
• H2 receptor antagonists are medicines that reduce production of acid by the stomach.
• Alarm symptoms are suggestive of a more serious underlying medical condition.
• Barrett’s esophagus are precancerous changes that occur in the lower esophagus after many years of acid reflux.

SUMMARY;
Drugs called PPIs ( example ; omeprazole, esomeprazole, pantoprazole ) reduce acid production by the stomach and are the main drugs used to treat acid reflux. Newer drugs called vonoprazan are also effective. They are usually given for 4 to 8 weeks.

It is the sixth in the series of seven videos on acid reflux. The videos are easy to understand and tries to use everyday language as far as possible. The videos are full of images and follow a standard format of topic objective, word index, content and summary. Each topic covers diagnosis, investigation, management and prevention. Videos are an average of between 5 to 10 minutes. I created the videos, using my over 30 years of experience in managing patients with gut and liver problems . I am a gastroenterologist and hepatologist and was trained in Edinburgh , United Kingdom, and Tokyo and have worked in academia and the private sector.

As the adage goes “A picture is worth a thousand words”. I believe combining images and explanations using blackboards, helps one better understand a medical condition. With knowledge, a person gets a better sense of control, and hence is empowered to make informed decisions.