| Theme |
Treatment of Acid‒related Diseases -- the Past, Present and Future |
| Title |
The History of Antacid Treatment -- Antacids, Anticholinergics, and Histamine H2-Receptor Antagonist |
| Author |
Shigeto Koizumi |
Department of Gastroenterology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine |
| Author |
Katsunori Iijima |
Department of Gastroenterology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine |
| [ Summary ] |
Gastric acid plays an important role in food assimilation, but it could also cause peptic ulcer. In the 19th century, antacids were used for the treatment of peptic ulcers, but their effectiveness was limited. Therefore, surgery became the main treatment for peptic ulcer. Subsequently, anticholinergics were invented and were commonly used as the treatment for peptic ulcer. The development of the histamine H2‒receptor antagonists (H2RAs) brought considerable progress to the treatment of peptic ulcer and development of antacids. Although proton‒pump inhibitors are the most common antacid treatment today, H2RAs are occasionally used, because of their peculiar characteristics such as prompt inhibition of gastric acid secretion. |