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The new chewable heartburn medication Metozolv, an orally disintegrating version of Reglan (metoclopramide), has added a warning to its label alerting users of a risk of the serious movement disorder Tardive Dyskinesia with long-term use of the drug. The change to the drug’s safety label was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and announced this month.
A study into the safety of the anti-nausea drug metoclopramide, also known as the brand name Reglan, on pregnant women indicates that the drug is safe in mothers and their unborn children, according to a first-time study of the drug’s affects on expectant mothers. The drug is not indicated for pregnant women but the drug has an off-label indication for the treatment of morning sickness.
The prescription drug Reglan, also known by the generic metoclopramide, is taken by more than 2 million people to treat the symptoms of gastrointestinal problems such as severe heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and gastroparesis. Many people have become aware of the drug’s serious side effects, including the debilitating neurological disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia in which the muscles move involuntarily. Reglan’s safety label now includes an FDA black box warning for the risk of the disorder. But another serious condition is being blamed on the medication – suicidal ideation.
A team of researchers in India hope a new tool for identifying acid reflux disease will lead to improved treatments for the more than 15 million Americans who suffer from the bothersome symptoms. The tool is a molecular imaging device that allows researchers to study the differences between a healthy esophageal muscle and an unhealthy one.
When 57-year-old August Macaluso, a former nuclear-plant maintenance worker in Charlotte, N.C., began shaking violently, blinking incessantly and slurring his speech, he and his wife Sharon were both puzzled. Desperate for answers, Sharon Googled his symptoms and learned that the drug her husband had been taking for just three months was linked to the involuntary movement disorder Tardive Dyskinesia with frighteningly similar symptoms. He stopped taking the drug and after a battery of medical tests, doctors confirmed the Macalusoes’ worst fears. August had suffered permanent damage.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, affects as many as 40 percent of the population. The nagging symptoms of frequent heartburn, upset stomach and an acid taste in the back of the throat can help identify the condition. But some less common symptoms can make the diagnosis more difficult to pinpoint.
American children are taking more medications than ever before to treat chronic conditions, according to the 2010 Medco Drug Trend Report, raising the question, “How safe are these drugs for children?”
Mederi Therapeutics Inc. is launching an innovative new radiofrequency device for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD. Mederi’s Stretta is a balloon catheter with a needle that delivers radiofrequency energy. The system is inserted into the esophagogastric junction, or the sphincter controlling the entrance of food into the stomach, and prevents stomach acids from backing up into the esophagus. The radiofrequency waves work to restore the function of the valve separating the esophagus from the stomach.
Sufferers of gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD, often experience symptoms such as heartburn and a sour taste in the mouth. But nearly half of all people with GERD have no symptoms except a chronic cough.
Most people dismiss the idea that they even have the acid reflux condition because they have none of the classic symptoms, but many sufferers of chronic cough may find relief when treating themselves for GERD.
