Digestive Health

Pharmacists can, and should, play an important role in counseling patients before they travel anywhere about what to do in the event of a GI illness while vacationing.

Travel health services involves a lot more than vaccinations, said Sheri Stensland, PharmD, in a session at McKesson ideaShare.

Parvus Therapeutics and Genentech have entered into a worldwide collaboration and licensing agreement for the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of treatments for inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune liver diseases, and celiac disease using nanomedicines (Navacim) developed by Parvus.

Rifamycin's effectiveness was shown in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial during which the drug significantly reduced symptoms of travelers’ diarrhea in adults afflicted with the condition in Guatemala and Mexico.

Patients have probably heard about probiotics and their role in maintaining digestive health, but they may be unaware of how to use them.

Pharmacy shelves are lined with a plethora of probiotic supplements, and the selection may be overwhelming for some consumers.

Proton pump inhibitors may lead to an imbalance of Enterococcus bacteria and increase the risk of liver injury.

Tom Frank, PharmD, BCPS, Director of Research and Education at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, offers advice on what pharmacists should consider when counseling patients on PPI use for heartburn treatment.

Children born to mothers who took heartburn medication were more likely to visit the physician for asthma symptoms.

Proton pump inhibitors combined with a certain chemotherapy drug may lower the possibility for cancer patients to recover and survive.

Proton pump inhibitors and histamine receptor-2 blockers have damaging effects on the kidneys.

Acid reflux can lead to Barrett’s esophagus, which increases the chance of developing esophageal cancer.

Recent study on healing rates of reflux esophagitis patients suggests that some refractory patients may heal with extended acid suppression treatment.