Don't just swallow it, this is the reason ulcer medicine must be chewed first

Ulcer drugs or antacid drugs are a class of drugs that function to neutralize acid in the stomach. Some people who have taken ulcer medication may also wonder why you have to chew ulcer medicine first? Do you always have to chew heartburn medicine? What happens if you don't chew it, but swallow it right away? Check it out below.

Overview of ulcer drugs

Ulcer drugs or antacid drugs generally contain aluminum, calcium, magnesium, or sodium bicarbonate. This content acts as an alkaline (alkaline) substance to fight high stomach acid spikes and very low pH.

With the entry of antacid drugs into the stomach, the acidic pH of the stomach can return to normal.

Basically, there are 2 antacid preparations, liquid form (syrup) and tablet form. There are also various kinds of antacid drugs in the form of tablets, some are in the form of chewable tablets such as Bisodol, Maalox no.1, and there are also types of drugs such as Riopan which are available in the form of chewable tablets or swallowed tablets.

However, in general, ulcer drugs must be chewed before swallowing.

Why do you have to chew the ulcer medicine?

Researchers from the University of Oklahoma Center for Health Sciences found that chewing ulcer medication is safer to control acidity in the esophagus than ingesting antacid tablets.

In addition, research in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics shows that the effectiveness of antacid drugs chewed will be better than those swallowed.

This research was conducted on people who had previously been given food triggers for ulcer symptoms such as chilies, cheese, raw onions, and soft drinks. One hour later, they were given chewable tablets, swallowed tablets, and effervescent (water soluble tablets).

After being seen, it turned out that the group using chewable and effervescent tablets were much more effective at preventing the onset of ulcer symptoms than those who swallowed the tablets.

This is because when antacids are swallowed, they pass through the stomach too quickly to neutralize the acid. Meanwhile, when you chew antacids, the antacids that are destroyed when they enter the stomach are immediately ready to work, so these drugs work more effectively in balancing the pH of the stomach. That is why ulcer medicine must be chewed first, then swallowed and drink water.

What happens if you immediately swallow ulcer medicine?

To date, there is no danger of ingesting antacids directly. However, the consequence is that the effectiveness of ulcer drugs will decrease, and the healing process can also be more time consuming because the drug does not work as effectively as when chewed.

So, it is always better to follow the instructions for using the medicine listed on the packaging or according to the instructions from the pharmacist. If you have trouble chewing the medicine first, ask your doctor or pharmacist for an ulcer syrup.