Medicines and Drugs - D2 - Antacids

Question 1

What is a purpose of the human stomach acid?

Answer 1

To suppress growth of harmful bacteria or to help digestion by hydrolysing proteins into amino acids

Question 2

How is excess acid production caused?

Answer 2

Through over-eating, eating certain types of food, or stress.

Question 3

What is a peptic ulcer disease?

Answer 3

A peptic ulcer, also known as peptic ulcer disease (PUD), is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm. As many as 70–90% of such ulcers are associated with Helicobacter pylori, a rod-shaped bacterium that lives in the acidic environment of the stomach; however, only 40% of those cases go to a doctor. Ulcers can also be caused or worsened by drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and other NSAIDs.

Question 4

What is the pH range of gastric juices?

Answer 4

1 - 3

Question 5

What prevents acid reflux?

Answer 5

When antacids are often combined with chemicals called alginates that produces a neutralising layer.

Question 6

What is an antacid?

Answer 6

An antacid is a remedy for excess stomach acidity. They’re bases that neutralize excess acid in the stomach to adjust the stomach pH to the desired level.

Question 7

What are the ingredients of an Antacid?

Answer 7

Active ingredients include Al(OH)3, Mg(OH)2, CaCO3, and NaHCO3.

Question 8

What are the side effects of antacids?

Answer 8

Aluminum hydroxide may cause constipation or irregularity. Aluminum ions can also prevent uptake of phosphate ions, due to precipitation of aluminum phosphate. Magnesium hydrozide have laxative properties, while calcium carbonate may result in kidney stones and sodium ions may lead to hyper tension. Too high a dose of antacids will cause a basic stomach, and can also cause alkalosis.

Question 9

What are alginates?

Answer 9

Alginates are chemicals primarily extracted from brown seaweed used in antacids to produce a neutralising layer that prevents acid reflux.

Question 10

Actions of Magnesium oxide:

Answer 10

MgO + 2HCl –> MgCl2 + H2O

Question 11

Actions of Magnesium hydroxide:

Answer 11

Mg(OH)2 + 2HCl –> MgCl2 + 2H2O

Question 12

Actions of Aluminum hydroxide:

Answer 12

Al(OH)3 + 3HCl –> AlCl3 + 3H2O

Question 13

Actions of Calcium carbonate:

Answer 13

CaCO3 + 2HCl —> CaCl2 + CO2 + H2O

Question 14

Actions of Sodium hydrogen carbonate:

Answer 14

NaHCO3 + HCl –> NaCl + H2O + CO2

Question 15

What is acid reflux?

Answer 15

Acid reflux is when the stomach contents (food or liquid) leak backwards from the stomach into the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach). This action can irritate the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms.

Question 16

Antacid medicines often contain alginates and anti-foaming agents.Explain briefly how alginates prevent heartburn.

Answer 16

Aliginates produce a neutralizing layer that prevents acid reflux which prevents acid to rise to the esophagus

Question 17

Explain why anti-foaming agents are added to antacids and state one example.

Answer 17

Anti foaming agents reduce surface area tension of gas bubbles, causing them to come together producing deforming action. An example is dimethocine