Antacids are taken by mouth to relieve heartburn, sour stomach, or acid indigestion. They work by neutralizing excess stomach acid. Some antacid combinations also contain simethicone, which may relieve the symptoms of excess gas. Antacids alone or in combination with simethicone may also be using to treat the symptoms of stomach or duodenal ulcers.
With larger doses than those using for the antacid effect, magnesium hydroxide - magnesia and magnesium oxide antacids produce a laxative effect. The information that follows applies only to their use as an antacid.
Some antacids, like aluminum carbonate and aluminum hydroxide, may be prescribed with a low-phosphate diet to treat hyperphosphatemia - too much phosphate in the blood. Aluminum carbonate and aluminum hydroxide may also be using with a low-phosphate diet to prevent the formation of some kinds of kidney stones. Aluminum hydroxide may also be using for other conditions as determined by your family doctor.
These medication are available without a prescription. However, your family doctor may have special instructions on the How to Use and dose of these medication for your medical problem. They are available in the following dosage forms:
Some commonly using brand names are:
In the USA
In Canada
For quick reference the following antacids are numbered to match the corresponding brand names.
This information applies to the following medication: 1. Alumina, Calcium Carbonate and Sodium Bicarbonate - a-LOO-mi-na, KAL-see-um KAR-bon-ate and SOE-dee-um bi-KAR-bon-ate*† 2. Aluminaand Magnesia - a-LOO-mi-na and mag-NEE-zha 3. Alumina, Calcium Carbonate and Sodium Bicarbonate or Alumina, Magnesium Trisilicate,and Sodium Bicarbonate - a-LOO-mi-na, KAL-see-um KAR-bon-ate and SOE-dee-um bi-KAR-bon-ate or a-LOO-mi-na,mag-NEE-zhum trye-SILL-i-kate and SOE-dee-um bi-KAR-bon-ate*† 4. Alumina, Magnesia, Calcium Carbonate and Simethicone - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zha, KAL-see-um KAR-bon-ate andSi-METH-i-kone 5. Alumina, Magnesia and Magnesium Carbonate - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zha and mag-NEE-zhum KAR-bon-ate 6. Alumina, Magnesia and Magnesium Carbonate or Alumina,Magnesia and Simethicone - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zha and mag-NEE-zhum KAR-bon-ate or a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zha,and Si-METH-i-kone 7. Alumina, Magnesia, Magnesium Carbonate and Simethicone - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zha, mag-NEE-zhumKAR-bon-ate and Si-METH-i-kone 8. Alumina,Magnesia, Magnesium Carbonate and Simethicone or Alumina, Magnesia and Simethicone - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zha, mag-NEE-zhumKAR-bon-ate and Si-METH-i-kone or a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zha and Si-METH-i-kone 9. Alumina,Magnesia and Simethicone - a-LOO-mi-na,mag-NEE-zha and Si-METH-i-kone 10. Alumina, Magnesia and Simethicone or Calcium and Magnesium Carbonates - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zha and Si-METH-i-koneor KAL-see-um and mag-NEE-zhum KAR-bon-ates 11. Alumina, Magnesia and Simethicone or Calcium Carbonateor Calcium Carbonate and Magnesia - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zha and Si-METH-i-kone or KAL-see-um KAR-bon-ate orKAL-see-um KAR-bon-ate and mag-NEE-zha, 12. Alumina, Magnesia and Simethicone or Calcium Carbonateand Magnesia - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zha,and Si-METH-i-kone or KAL-see-um KAR-bon-ate and mag-NEE-zha, 13. Alumina, Magnesium Alginate and Magnesium Carbonate - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zhum al-JI-nate and mag-NEE-zhumKAR-bon-ate 14. Alumina and Magnesium Carbonate - a-LOO-mi-na and mag-NEE-zhum KAR-bon-ate 15. Alumina and Magnesium Carbonate or Alumina, Magnesium Trisilicate and SodiumBicarbonate - a-LOO-mi-na and mag-NEE-zhumKAR-bon-ate or a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zhum trye-SILL-i-kate and SOE-dee-umbi-KAR-bon-ate 16. Alumina, Magnesium Carbonate and Simethicone - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zhum KAR-bon-ate and Si-METH-i-kone 17. Alumina, Magnesium Carbonate and Simethicone or Alumina, Magnesium Carbonate,and Sodium Bicarbonate - a-LOO-mi-na,mag-NEE-zhum KAR-bon-ate and Si-METH-i-kone or a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zhumKAR-bon-ate and SOE-dee-um bi-KAR-bon-ate 18. Alumina, Magnesium Carbonate and Sodium Bicarbonate - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zhum KAR-bon-ate and SOE-dee-um bi-KAR-bon-ate 19. Alumina and Magnesium Trisilicate - a-LOO-mi-na and mag-NEE-zhum trye-SILL-i-kate 20. Alumina, Magnesium Trisilicate and Sodium Bicarbonate - a-LOO-mi-na, mag-NEE-zhum trye-SILL-i-kate and SOE-dee-um bi-KAR-bon-ate 21. Alumina and Simethicone - a-LOO-mi-na and Si-METH-i-kone 22. Aluminaand Sodium Bicarbonate - a-LOO-mi-naand SOE-dee-um bi-KAR-bon-ate 23. AluminumCarbonate, Basic - a-LOO-mi-num KAR-bon-ate, BA-sic 24. AluminumCarbonate, Basic and Simethicone - a-LOO-mi-num KAR-bon-ate, BA-sic and Si-METH-i-kone 25. Aluminum Hydroxide - a-LOO-mi-num hye-DROX-ide 26. Aluminum Hydroxide, Magnesium Carbonate and SodiumBicarbonate - a-LOO-mi-num hye-DROX-ide, mag-NEE-zhum KAR-bon-ate and SOE-dee-um bi-KAR-bon-ate 27. Calcium Carbonate - KAL-see-um KAR-bon-ate 28. Calcium Carbonate and Magnesia - KAL-see-umKAR-bon-ate and mag-NEE-zha, 29. CalciumCarbonate, Magnesia and Simethicone - KAL-see-um KAR-bon-ate, mag-NEE-zha and Si-METH-i-kone 30. Calcium Carbonate and Simethicone - KAL-see-um KAR-bon-ate and Si-METH-i-kone 31. Calcium and Magnesium Carbonates - KAL-see-um and mag-NEE-zhum KAR-bon-ates 32. Magaldrate - MAG-al-drate 33. Magaldrateand Simethicone - MAG-al-drate andSi-METH-i-kone 34. Magnesium Carbonate and Sodium Bicarbonate - mag-NEE-zhum KAR-bon-ate and SOE-dee-um bi-KAR-bon-ate 35. Magnesium Hydroxide - mag-NEE-zhum hye-DROX-ide 36. MagnesiumOxide - mag-NEE-zhumOX-ide * Not commercially available in the USA † Not commercially available in Canada Generic name product may be available in the USA Generic name product may be available in Canada