The Relationship between Antacids and the Risk of Stroke

Many people of different ages often suffer from heartburn which is caused by rising stomach acid and whose main symptom is a burning sensation in the chest and throat. This occurs because of physical factors such as pregnancy, defects in the esophageal sphincter that do not prevent the rise of acid, or because of eating fatty foods and drinking carbonated beverages. The burning sensation is usually intolerable, which causes many people to take antacid medications, either prescription or OTC, and assume that they have treated the problem.

 

However, in a recent study it was found that these drugs significantly increase the risk of ischemic stroke, a fact that sheds a completely new light on the dangers of using them. In the next article, you’ll learn more about the findings of this study, and also a few natural and effective ways to deal with heartburn that will prevent you from having to reach for the medicine shelf.

How do antacids work?

As mentioned above, heartburn is caused by the rise of gastric acid to the esophagus that causes a burning sensation in the chest area. Antacids used to treat heartburn which are included in the Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI's) group, treat the problem by reducing acid secretion in the stomach so that it can’t rise up through the esophagus. There are few differences between the various antacids, but most of them work in this method and contain Proton Pump Inhibitors.

What is the possible risk of taking antacids?

According to a study, these common drugs are not as safe to use as they were thought to be. During the course of the study, doctors analyzed medical records of nearly 245,000 people  aged 57, who underwent an endoscopy procedure to find the causes of digestive difficulties and stomach aches. When the subjects returned to follow-up tests after the procedure, 9,500 of them had an ischemic stroke caused by a disturbance in blood flow to the brain.

A researcher and his colleagues examined whether patients with stroke took one of four common PPI drugs: omeprazole, pantoprazole (Protonix), lansoprazole (Prevacid) and esomeprazole (Nexium).

The results of the comprehensive study

The researcher and his colleagues found that there was a link between taking one of these drugs and an increased risk of stroke, since people who regularly took these drugs were 21 percent more likely to have ischemic stroke than non-users. Furthermore, subjects taking high-dose PPIs had a 30 to 94% chance of having the stroke of the type described.
These results are preliminary and diagnostic, but there appears to be a high correlation between taking antacids and the risk of ischemic stroke. Therefore, if you are taking PPI’s regularly or considering doing so, you may want to consult your doctor to avoid excessive amounts or to consider alternative treatment options.

Natural heartburn treatments

The temptation to reach for a pill when you feel heartburn coming on is great, but as mentioned, there may be several health risks. In order to avoid this problem, and still treat the heartburn, you can make use of a number of different and varied methods while also changing your diet. Just pick one of the following natural ways to soothe heartburn and eliminate the need to take medicine:
Eating bananas - This tasty yellow fruit contains natural acids which work against those that are formed in the stomach which rise to the esophagus. It is recommended to eat one ripe banana a day to enjoy its long-term benefits and to reduce heartburn.

Drink soda water – Baking soda has many wonderful benefits one of which is calming heartburn. This is due to the fact that baking soda has a basic acidity level (pH = 7), so it contradicts the acid in the stomach and neutralizes it. In order to enjoy this natural solution, add between 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 200 ml of water, mix until dissolved and drink. Drink no more than 3 ½ teaspoons in 24 hours.
Protect the body with aloe vera juice - The wonderful aloe vera plant helps not only to soothe sunburn but also burning caused by a rise in gastric acid. This is due to the anti-inflammatory properties of the juice produced from the plant, which calms the irritation in the stomach during heartburn. If you experience heartburn, try drinking a glass of aloe vera juice to prevent the condition from getting worse.
Treat yourself with Chamomile Tea - This fragrant tea helps greatly in cases of digestive difficulties and heartburn. Drinking a cup of chamomile tea between half an hour and an hour before bedtime will help relieve the inflammation and irritation in the stomach that lead to heartburn. Moreover, chamomile relaxes the body and mind and therefore contributes to the decrease in tension that also causes heartburn.
Apple Cider Vinegar  - Apple cider vinegar is used to treat stomach acid buildup, as ironic as that may sound. The cider helps digestion by breaking down fats, despite the acidity factor. Mix one or two teaspoons of the apple cider vinegar with a glass of water and drink it before meals, or whenever you feel an acid reflux attack coming on.   




THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                        PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/  

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Surgeries for Rectal Cancer

Surgery is a common treatment for rectal cancer. The type of operation used to remove the rectal cancer depends on the extent and location of the cancer. If the rectal cancer is located well above the anus, a low anterior resection (LAR) can be performed. This operation allows the patient to keep anal function and pass stools in a normal manner. If the rectal cancer is located close to the anus, sometimes the anus must be removed with the cancer in an operation called an abdominoperineal resection (APR). The patient must then use a colostomy bag. A colostomy is an opening where the large intestine is attached to the abdominal wall. A replaceable bag that encloses the colostomy is worn by the patient to collect stool.

Low Anterior Resection Surgery (LAR)

LAR is a common treatment for rectal cancer when the cancer is located well above the anus. During a LAR, the entire rectal cancer, adjacent normal rectal tissue and surrounding lymph nodes are removed through an incision made in the lower abdomen. After the cancer is removed, the cut ends of the rectum are sewn back together. The passage of stool from the large intestine through the anus is therefore preserved. If the cancer is lower in the rectum, the cut end of the large bowel may be attached directly to the anus, a procedure known as colo-anal anastomosis. When a colo-anal anastomosis is performed, some surgeons will create a temporary colostomy in order to protect the delicate surgical connection of the large intestine to the anus. After the patient has recovered from the surgery, the temporary colostomy is removed and stool is again passed normally through the large intestine. The colon is resewn to the anus.

Despite undergoing complete surgical removal of rectal cancer, some patients may experience recurrence of their cancer. It is important to realize that some patients with rectal cancer already have small amounts of cancer that have spread outside the rectum and were not removed by surgery. These cancer cells are referred to as micrometastases and cannot be detected with any of the currently available tests. The presence of these microscopic areas of cancer causes the relapses that follow treatment with surgery alone. External beam radiation therapy and chemotherapy can be used to cleanse the body of micrometastases in order to improve the cure rate achieved with surgical removal of the cancer.

Patients undergoing an LAR may experience lower abdominal pain after the operation. Less common complications related to surgery include bleeding, infection and temporary difficulty with emptying the bladder.

Abdominoperineal Resection Surgery (APR)

APR is a common treatment for rectal cancer when the cancer is located close to the anus. During an APR, the entire rectal cancer, adjacent normal rectum, rectal sphincter or anus, and surrounding lymph nodes are removed through an incision in the lower abdomen and the perineum (the skin around the anus). Following removal of the cancer, the incision in the perineum is sewn shut. The cut end of the large intestine is attached to an opening in the abdominal wall, called a colostomy. This opening is covered with a bag, which serves to collect stool as it passes through the large intestine and through the colostomy. In contrast to a LAR, the colostomy is permanent.

Many patients would like to avoid a permanent colostomy. When the rectal cancer lies close to the sphincter or anus, an APR is typically recommended. In some instances, a more limited surgery can be used to avoid a colostomy, or radiation therapy can be used to shrink the rectal cancer prior to surgery allowing the patient to maintain control of bowel function. Some small rectal cancers that lie close to the anus can be removed with less extensive surgery called a local excision.

Patients undergoing an APR may experience lower abdominal pain after the operation. Less common complications related to surgery include bleeding, infection, slow wound healing and temporary difficulty with emptying the bladder. Some men may experience sexual dysfunction after surgery.

Sphincter-Sparing Treatment

The rectal sphincter is the circular muscle that controls defecation. If damaged, patients lose control of bowel function. Sphincter-sparing treatment refers to cancer therapy that avoids removal of the anal sphincter for rectal cancers that lie close to the anus. The standard surgical procedure used to remove rectal cancer that lies close to the anus is an abdominoperineal resection (APR). Following an APR procedure, the anus is removed with the cancer, and the cut end of the large bowel is attached to the abdominal wall to form a colostomy. The colostomy is covered by a bag, which collects stool as it empties from the bowel. Because of the inconvenience of a colostomy, physicians are using sphincter-sparing treatments that allow the patient to preserve function of the anus. Sphincter-sparing treatment for rectal cancer involves limited surgery, often followed by a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The limited surgery is designed to remove the cancer and a small rim of normal bowel, but not the anus. The surgery may be performed through the anus (transanal excision) or through the coccyx (transcoccygeal) or the tailbone. A transanal excision can be performed for small cancers that lie close (within 2 inches) to the anus. Other small cancers higher in the rectum can be removed with a transcoccygeal excision.

Local Excision

Limited surgery can be performed to remove the cancer and preserve the anus and prevent the complications that may occur with more extensive LAR or APR surgeries. The limited surgery is designed to remove the cancer and a small rim of normal bowel, but not the anus. The surgery may be performed through the anus (transanal excision) or through the coccyx (transcoccygeal) or the tailbone. A transanal excision can be performed for small cancers that lie close (typically within 2 inches) to the anus. Other small cancers higher in the rectum can be removed with a transcoccygeal excision.

For limited surgery to be effective, the entire cancer with a rim of normal tissue must be removed. Patients with cancers that are larger, more deeply invading, or appear aggressive under the microscope are better treated with traditional surgery. In order to improve the cure rates after limited surgery alone, a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy is often administered for cancers that have grown into the muscular wall of the rectum.

ps- this is only for information, always consult you physician before having any particular food/ medication/exercise/other remedies.

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