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Researchers in Sacramento, Calif., are looking for people who still experience troublesome symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) even while taking heartburn medication, to participate in a study to evaluate an investigational heartburn treatment.
A new medication may soon be available for patients who suffer from advanced gastroparesis, or delayed emptying of the stomach contents. Tranzyme Pharma is presenting data on its experimental drug ulimorelin later this month at the 2010 Joint International Meeting in Neurogastroenterology and Motility in Boston, Mass.
All babies spit up on occasion. It usually occurs because the sphincter at the top of the stomach is often loose, causing babies to spit milk out of their mouths or noses. In otherwise healthy babies who are growing well, the contents of this spit up is mostly milk and parents shouldn’t worry. But for some babies, the spit up contains stomach acid, which can make the lining of the baby’s esophagus tender, red and swollen. This reflux of acid can also be inhaled into the lungs, irritating the sensitive linings. These babies may respond to the bottle or breast by arching their backs in pain. They may not gain weight or might cry from the discomfort. Some can develop a chronic cough, wheeze, have a hoarse voice, or even develop pneumonia. Some may stop breathing, a condition known as apnea, to protect their lungs from inhaled acid.
Diabetics who suffer from nausea, vomiting, bloating, or abdominal discomfort after eating may be eligible to participate in a study for an investigational medication to reduce the symptoms associated with delayed stomach emptying, also known as gastroparesis, a condition many diabetics experience.
Wendy from Oklahoma sought advice from fellow gastroparesis sufferers on Inspire.com’s group forum after her doctor recommended she take Reglan (metoclopramide) to treat symptoms of her condition. Gastropareses causes pain and nausea from slow emptying of the stomach contents. Wendy was concerned, she said, because “I read (Reglan) was the leading prescription cause for tardive dyskinesia,” a debilitating involuntary movement disorder similar to Parkinson’s.
Two more lawsuits have been filed in federal court in New Orleans against the manufacturers of an acid reflux medication that allegedly causes a debilitating involuntary movement disorder known as tardive dyskinesia. Ellen Austin filed a suit against Actavis, Actavis Elizabeth and Watson Pharmaceuticals. Leslie Keeper filed suit against Qualitest Pharmaceuticals. Both lawsuits claim the drug Reglan, also known as the generic metoclopramide, caused them to develop the movement disorder.
