Investigation of the effect of alginates on the state of postprandial reflux in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of Gaviscon^® Forte, as a representative of the alginate group, on the postprandial pH of the cardiac and stomach and on the severity of postprandial reflux in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. The object and methods of research. 30 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease aged 52±2.8 years were participated in the study, which performed a 3-hour sample with a unifying provocative breakfast during the daily impedance-pH monitoring. Results. It has been established that Gaviscon^® Forte causes a stable anti-reflux effect, preventing the ingestion of acidic stomach contents to the esophagus, which lasts for 2 hours. A statistically significant reduction in the amount of acid and gas reflux and an increase in pH level in the esophagus in the treatment group during 2 hours after the unified breakfast was revealed. The absence of the influence of Gaviscon^® Forte on pH of the body of the stomach was established, although a decrease in pH in the cardiac region of the stomach was observed within 1 hour after application of the preparation, which may be explained by partial neutralization and displacement of acidic content by floating rafting to the lower part of the stomach. That is, the drug don’t affect the pH of the contents of the stomach and its evacuation function, which allows maximum preservation of physiological processes of digestion in the stomach. The use of alginates, in particular Gaviscon^® Forte, is recommended for the effective treatment of the gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms as monotherapy in mild cases, as well as in combination therapy with proton pump inhibitors.