What should you know about PPIs and acid reflux?

Proton pump inhibitors, often called PPIs, lower the amount of acid made in the stomach. This can give an irritated food pipe time to heal and may reduce burning behind the breastbone, sour fluid coming up, or symptoms that disturb sleep. Reflux can also cause a cough or throat irritation without obvious heartburn. A hiatus hernia and excess body weight can contribute to reflux, but symptoms can occur without either one.

A PPI does not remove every possible cause of chest or abdominal discomfort. The choice of medicine, dose and duration depends on your symptoms, other medicines and health history.

Take the medicine exactly as directed and do not change or stop it suddenly without checking with a clinician, especially if you have been taking it regularly. Tell the prescriber about all medicines and supplements, because acid-suppressing treatment can affect how some medicines are absorbed or handled.

Notice when symptoms happen. Late meals, lying down soon after eating, alcohol, smoking and foods that personally trigger reflux may make symptoms worse. Smaller meals, staying upright after eating and raising the head of the bed can help some people. Keep a brief symptom record so a clinician can decide whether the treatment is helping and whether another explanation needs assessment.

Arrange a medical review if symptoms continue despite treatment, return soon after stopping it, or make swallowing difficult. Seek urgent help for severe or new chest tightness, particularly with breathlessness, sweating, faintness or pain spreading to the arm or jaw. Prompt assessment is also needed for vomiting blood, black stools, repeated vomiting or unexplained weight loss.

Ask which PPI schedule is right for you, how long it should be tried, whether your symptoms need testing, and how to review treatment safely. Mention nighttime symptoms, trouble swallowing, cough, abdominal pain and every medicine you take.