Heartburn is a painful condition that occurs as a result of overeating, eating large amounts of spicy, smoked and fatty foods. A one-time symptom does not require treatment and goes away after returning to the usual diet. Medicines are required for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), accompanied by disruption of the digestion process. Mezim is a popular drug that facilitates digestion. In some situations, it not only accelerates the absorption of food by intestinal tissues, but also relieves heartburn.
Causes of heartburn
Heartburn occurs in different cases in patients of all ages. A painful feeling accompanies diseases of the digestive system. The reasons are completely independent and varied:
- increased acidity;
- severe overeating, when food does not fit in the stomach, and part of it is thrown back into the esophagus;
- late pregnancy;
- taking medications that cause hydrochloric acid secretion;
- diabetes, if gas exchange and metabolic processes in tissues are impaired;
- nervous or mental disorders (depression, hysteria) affecting the autonomic nervous system, muscle tone and the formation of hydrochloric acid.
Enzyme therapy regimens for errors in food intake
With the help of Pancreatin, food processing is accelerated. From it the body receives energy, valuable vitamins, and nutrients that ensure vital functions. Excessive overeating disrupts the digestion process and causes functional failure of the stomach, gallbladder and pancreatic enzymes. Repeated systematic violations are the cause of many organic diseases.
Pancreatin for overeating
More often, uncontrollability of appetite appears due to alcohol intake. If a person, unnoticed by himself, gets carried away with food and feels heaviness in the upper half of the abdomen, belching, then he should urgently take 2 Pancreatin tablets and wash them down with water. The drug helps process fatty and fried meat foods, hot seasonings.
To ensure that enzymes enter the intestines, you need to walk around, you can dance, but do not lie on the sofa. Immobility increases stagnation in the stomach. Taking sulfate mineral waters without bubbles helps. For healthy people, overload of the digestive tract leads to a threat not only to the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, but also to increased blood pressure, varicose veins of the extremities, and joint pain. For men, this is one of the reasons for weak erections.
Important! There is no point in taking Pancreatin while continuing to drink alcohol.
If symptoms occur in a patient with chronic pancreatitis and resemble an exacerbation, then pancreatin should not be taken. The drug is also contraindicated in cases of suspected intestinal obstruction or hypersensitivity to the components.
Action of enzymes in the body
Enzymes help speed up the process of digesting food. In the stomach, food is processed by gastric juice with hydrochloric acid and enzymes. If there are few enzymes, the food does not have time to be completely digested. It enters the alkaline environment of the intestines, where the processes of breakdown and absorption occur.
Most of the beneficial substances enter the blood through the mucosa, are delivered to the tissues and are metabolized inside the cells; the smaller one enters the large intestine, interacts with water and is excreted along with feces. With a lack of enzyme substances, food remains on the walls of the stomach and intestines, “stagnates”, and the process of rotting and fermentation begins.
Failures in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract cause various diseases. Several types of medications are used for treatment: antacids, enzymes, painkillers, proton pump inhibitors and others.
Composition of the drug
The drug is a combination of three enzymes. Therefore, it helps improve digestive function and reduces congestion in the gastrointestinal tract, preventing the reflux of chyme into the upper sections. However, Mezim for heartburn should not be taken as a first aid remedy. Whereas in the complex treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract it has a positive effect.
The medicine is available in oral form in two main dosages:
- 10,000 units—10 and 20 pieces each;
- 20,000 units - 20 pieces each.
According to the instructions, each unit contains lipase, amylase and protease obtained from porcine pancreas tissue. The tablets are enclosed in a special coating that does not dissolve in the acidic gastric environment. Its dissolution occurs in the duodenum, where there is a lack of enzymes in diseases of the digestive system.
Additional ingredients retain the organoleptic and pharmacological properties of the main components and are represented by the following compounds:
- lactose monohydrate;
- anhydrous colloidal silica;
- crospovidone;
- magnesium stearate;
- talc;
- sodium carmellose;
- polysorbate;
- triethyl citrate;
- hypromellose;
- methacrylate copolymer;
- vanilla and bergamot flavoring.
Attention!
The composition includes Simethicone as an adjuvant, which eliminates bloating and heaviness in the abdomen.
Mezim: indications for use
Mezim forte is an enzyme medicine in which the active substance is an extract of juice from the pancreas of a pig (pancreatin). It improves and normalizes the process of food digestion, helping the pancreas cope with the problem of lack of enzymes.
Medicine prescribed:
- in cases of pancreatic dysfunction (chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis);
- for inflammation in the liver, including hepatitis and jaundice;
- for heartburn;
- in case of diet violations and abuse of fatty and spicy foods;
- after surgical operations on the gastrointestinal tract, liver;
- when there are malfunctions of the stomach and intestines (in cases of anacid gastritis, enteritis).
general information
Mezim is a drug of natural origin, which is produced from the components of the pancreas of animals. Available in dosages of 10,000 units and 20,000 units. It contains several components:
- pancreatin – improves digestion;
- lipase – participates in the process of breaking down fats entering the gastrointestinal tract with food;
- amylase – designed to facilitate the absorption of complex carbohydrates;
- trypsin - belongs to a group of proteolytic enzymes that control the process of protein breakdown into aminocarboxylic acids.
Normally, all of the enzymes listed are produced by the pancreas and independently perform digestive functions. Enzymes penetrate into the small intestine, where food is broken down and absorbed over several hours. In case of disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas, when it is not able to produce the required amount of pancreatin, it is necessary to take enzyme agents, which include Mezim.
Attention! Many patients successfully use Mezim tablets for heartburn, getting rid of not only burning and discomfort in the esophagus, but also facilitating the digestion of food. The effect of the drug is explained by the acceleration of the breakdown and absorption of what is eaten, due to which the food does not stagnate in the stomach, is not thrown into the cavity of the esophagus and does not irritate its mucous membrane.
Indications for use
Mezim is a drug that improves digestion. Prescribed for the following indications:
- surgical intervention performed in the pancreas, stomach or liver;
- diseases occurring against the background of insufficient functioning of the pancreas (chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, etc.);
- non-compliance with diet, overeating;
- dyspeptic symptoms - nausea, heaviness in the stomach, flatulence, vomiting;
- poor digestion of food after partial resection of the stomach.
Cystic fibrosis is a disease in which Mezim helps normalize the functioning of the stomach and intestines if the patient abuses spicy or fatty foods. The tablets should also be taken in preparation for examination of the gastrointestinal tract; they also help with food poisoning, manifested by epigastric pain and vomiting.
The drug is available in two forms - in regular dosage and Mezim Forte. The first form is recommended for patients who regularly transmit, travel, or simply do not follow a diet. Mezim Forte is prescribed for heartburn that occurs due to more serious problems. These are intestinal infections, gastrointestinal disorders, atrophic gastritis and pancreatitis, colitis, enteritis.
Mezim is an effective remedy for heartburn
Directions for use and dosage
You can take Mezim tablets for heartburn before meals, without chewing the tablets and with a small amount of liquid. After taking the medicine, it is better to lie down to ensure better passage through the gastrointestinal tract. It is not recommended to take more than two pills at once, but if necessary, the doctor increases this dose to four tablets. The main thing is that the daily volume of the active substance does not exceed 150,000 units.
The dosage for children over 3 years of age is agreed with the doctor, on average it is:
- under 18 months – no more than 50,000 units per day;
- over 18 months – 100,000 units daily.
The use of Mezim in pediatrics is permitted only if the child can consume the entire pill (therefore, the official instructions do not recommend giving the medicine to children under 3 years of age). If the integrity of the tablet is damaged, its medicinal properties are lost; it is important to make sure that the baby does not have problems swallowing.
If Mezim is prescribed to restore the condition of the gastrointestinal tract after non-compliance with the diet and eating large amounts of fatty foods, the course lasts 7-10 days. With replacement therapy, you can use the medicine for several months.
How to take Mezim for heartburn to get maximum effect:
- consume simultaneously with meals, before or immediately after lunch;
- do not crush the pills, so as not to deprive the drug of its therapeutic effect;
- do not drink Mezim with sweet drinks - juice, compote, tea;
- do not lie down for 5 minutes after taking the tablet - it should dissolve in the stomach, and not in the cavity of the esophagus;
- If you need to take several types of medications, make an interval of 15-20 minutes between them.
Advice! The decision regarding the use of Mezim in pregnant women who often suffer from heartburn is made by the attending physician. Experts prescribe this medicine during lactation, since it does not pass into breast milk. But no tests have been conducted to confirm or refute the safety of the drug during pregnancy.
Contraindications and side effects
You should not use Mezim for heartburn if the patient has the following health problems:
- special sensitivity to the substances of the drug (active and included in the shell);
- diseases of the pancreas of an inflammatory nature, including chronic forms in the acute stage;
- acute gastritis.
If you are intolerant to the tablets, an allergic reaction may develop in the form of skin rashes, itching and redness. Long-term use of Mezim sometimes causes disruption of normal digestive function. Pathological changes in the digestive process include alternating constipation and diarrhea, flatulence, nausea, and increased levels of urea in the blood.
special instructions
Mezim can be used in the treatment of diseases associated with problems with the pancreas. However, if inflammation in this organ worsens, it is better to stop taking the drug. Factors to especially consider:
- if it is necessary to prescribe Mezim in the treatment of cystic fibrosis, the dosage is determined by a specialist and depends on the volume of enzymes needed for digestion. To minimize complications, a dose of 10,000 units/kg/day is recommended;
- increased levels of lipase in the blood plasma make it necessary to gradually increase the dosage of tablets so as not to provoke constipation;
- drugs containing pancreatin reduce the effect of taking iron-containing drugs;
- Antacid medications reduce the severity of the action of Mezim.
On a note! While taking Mezim, antibiotics and drugs from the sulfonamide group are better absorbed and begin to act faster. If irritation of the skin around the anus and mucous tissue of the mouth occurs, you should report these symptoms to your doctor.
Getting rid of heartburn with Mezim
Mezim is prescribed for serious illnesses and to get rid of heartburn.
To prevent food from stagnating in the stomach, doctors recommend taking pancreatic medications.
Stagnation can be caused by enzyme deficiency in the body. Such a malfunction of the pancreas is typical if the patient has pancreatitis. Heartburn is caused by fermentation and putrefaction of leftover food. Mezim is used to normalize processes in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
On holidays, for many, a heavy load on the body is a rich table with fatty, smoked, fried and spicy dishes. The result is a burning sensation over the stomach. Mezim as a rescue remedy will help food to be digested, broken down and absorbed faster, while at the same time easing the general condition and feeling of heaviness.
With gastritis with low acidity, the secretion of the gastric mucosa is greatly weakened, so doctors recommend an enzyme preparation to relieve heartburn.
The effect of "Pancreatin" on heartburn
A burning sensation behind the sternum can be provoked by external adverse influences:
- compression of the abdominal cavity by tight clothing,
- a large meal at night,
- products that irritate the gastric mucosa and provoke the release of acid: chocolate, coffee, citrus fruits, alcohol, fats,
- increased gas formation,
- smoking.
In most cases, heartburn occurs precisely after eating a large amount of heavy fatty foods, chocolate, or coffee.
A common cause of burning sensation after eating is indigestion caused by a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes. In this case, taking Pancreatin with meals will prevent the subsequent occurrence of heartburn, and systematic treatment with the drug will normalize digestion.
How to take Mezim Forte to combat heartburn
If you suffer from heartburn, Mezim should be taken before meals, one or two tablets at a time, while sitting or standing.
chew the medicine, otherwise the active enzymes will begin to act in the oral cavity and esophagus; this can lead to ulcers that won't heal. You can only take
The course of taking Mezim can last a week. It is better to take three times a day: in the morning, at lunchtime, before dinner.
Only the attending physician can change the dosage of the drug, after additional examinations and conclusions based on the tests taken and procedures performed (ultrasound, gastroscopy, etc.).
Use in childhood
Mezim Forte can be prescribed to children who overeat large amounts of heavy protein foods. The drug is an auxiliary component in the breakdown of difficult foods.
The daily dosage of Mezim for children is not higher than 15,000-20,000 IU/kg body weight. Only a doctor can decide on a prescription.
The difficulty of taking Mezim in children under 1 year of age lies in the need to destroy the integrity of the protective shell of the pill due to the inability of the baby to use the drug independently. When crushed, the medicine loses its healing properties. The instructions for Mezim do not recommend use in children under 3 years of age.
Children and Mezim
Any changes in taking the drug can only be prescribed by a specialist, depending on the severity of the condition and the results of additional examination.
For children, the doctor also prescribes medicine. The dose depends on the age of the child: children under one and a half years old can take medicine with a pancreatin content of less than 50 thousand units; from one and a half – less than 100 thousand units.
Composition and clinical effect
1 tablet of the drug contains auxiliary components that make up the enteric coating of the tablet and active substances:
- pancreatin is an enzyme responsible for the digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates,
- hemicellulase – digests plant fiber, preventing gas formation,
- bile components – promote the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, lipid digestion, and improve intestinal motility.
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Festal is prescribed to patients with inflammatory diseases and cirrhosis of the liver, chronic inflammation of the gallbladder and pancreas, and chronic gastritis. Also for people with digestive disorders associated with poor diet and bad habits.
- chronic pancreatitis with reflux of pancreatic juice into the esophagus,
- chronic gastritis with low acidity, which causes the formation of fermentation products in the stomach,
- chronic cholecystitis with reflux of bile into the esophagus.
Mode of application
The medicine Festal is sold freely in pharmacies, without a doctor’s prescription. But before use, you should carefully read the instructions for use and familiarize yourself with the doctor’s requirements. Otherwise there may be consequences.
The drug is taken 1 or 2 tablets three times a day in adults. The tablet is washed down with water without chewing. Increasing the waste dose should occur under the strict supervision of a medical professional and as prescribed. The course of treatment varies depending on the severity of pathologies in the gastrointestinal tract.
A pediatric gastroenterologist prescribes medication for children and strictly controls its use. The dosage for children is determined based on the complexity of the disease and the individual characteristics of the child’s body.
Before conducting an examination using special equipment, Festal is prescribed: drink 2 tablets three times a day for three days before starting the diagnosis.
Taking Mezim during pregnancy
Pregnancy in most cases is accompanied by heartburn. It is generally accepted that at such a moment the baby’s hair grows. No studies have been conducted on the effect of Mezim on the health of the expectant mother and her baby.
A doctor can prescribe Mezim for pregnant women if there are serious reasons for this and the presence of a disease. Much more often, pregnant women are prescribed antacid medications to eliminate the burning sensation. They do not have the ability to be absorbed into the blood and do not affect the pregnant baby. In any case, consultation and examination by a doctor are required.
Help the pancreas. What is pancreatin and when is it prescribed?
Pancreatin is a drug obtained from the pancreas of cattle and pigs.
The acid-resistant coating of pancreatin tablets, which includes enzymes such as lipase, amylase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, prevents their destruction of pancreatin shells under the influence of hydrochloric acid of the stomach.
Thanks to this, enzymes are released and produce beneficial effects on digestion directly in the duodenum.
Composition and release form
Enteric-coated tablets contain pancreatic enzymes: Amylase, Lipase, Protease.
May include lactose, contain Ponceau 4R dye (E124), bile, other enzymes, as well as excipients: sodium chloride, anhydrous colloidal silicon dioxide, microcrystalline cellulose, crospovidone, croscarmellose sodium, povidone, magnesium stearate, methacrylate copolymer dispersion, talc, propylene glycol , titanium dioxide (E 171), carmoisine (E 122). There are a number of dietary supplements containing pancreatic enzymes, vitamin-mineral complexes and nutrients. There is also a vegetarian pancreatin.
Commercial names
The drug is sold under the following trade names: Biofestal, Normoenzym, Ferestal, Festal, Enzistal, Pankreoflat, Biozim, Vestal, Gastenorm, Creon, Mezim, Mikrazim, Panzim, Panzinorm, Pancreazim, Pankrelipazim, Pankrenorm, Pancitrate, Penzital, Uni-Festal, Enzibene , Ermital, Evenzim.
Pancreatin 8000, Pancreatin forte:
Importantly, the daily dose of lipase requires monitoring by a physician.
What is pancreatin prescribed for?
The drug is taken when it is necessary to facilitate the digestion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
The use of pancreatin in diseases of the pancreas compensates for the insufficiency of secretory function (secretion of digestive juice), helps improve the digestion process and helps break down proteins into amino acids, fats into glycerol and fatty acids, starch into dextrins and monosaccharides. In this way, digestion processes are normalized and the functional state of the gastrointestinal tract is improved.
Diagnoses and indications when pancreatin or similar drugs are prescribed include:
- Bacterial intestinal infection
- Gastroduodenitis, acute or chronic
- Dyspepsia (digestive disorder)
- Chronic pancreatitis, cholecystopancreatitis
- Simultaneous consumption of hard-to-digest vegetable, fatty and unusual foods;
- Flatulence associated with the above disorders;
- Chewing dysfunction;
- Acceleration of the passage of food in the intestines of a functional nature;
- Preparing for an x-ray or ultrasound of the abdominal organs.
Trypsin in pancreatin suppresses stimulated pancreatic secretion, producing an analgesic effect. The maximum enzymatic activity of the drug is observed 30-45 minutes after oral administration.
How to take Pancreatin
Adults and children over 6 years of age are prescribed 1-2 tablets of pancreatin at a dosage of 120 mg orally during or immediately after meals without chewing. The tablets should be taken with plenty of liquid.
In some cases, 2-4 tablets are prescribed for enzyme replacement therapy.
The dose of the drug and the duration of treatment are determined by the nature of the disease and are determined individually by the doctor.
Pancreatin for children, pregnant and lactating women
The drug can be used in children from 6 years of age. For pregnant and lactating women, use only as prescribed by a doctor, in cases where the expected benefit to the mother outweighs the potential risk to the fetus or child.
Side effects and overdose
- digestion: diarrhea, feeling of discomfort in the epigastric region of the stomach, nausea, vomiting, flatulence, change in the nature of bowel movements, constipation, intestinal obstruction.
- immune response: hypersensitivity reactions, including rash, itching, sneezing, lacrimation, bronchospasm, dyspnea, urticaria, anaphylactic reactions, angioedema.
- cardiovascular system: tachycardia.
- general disorders: fever, general weakness.
In case of overdose, symptoms such as hyperuricemia, hyperuricosuria are possible, and in children - constipation. Use in high doses in children may cause perianal skin irritation. Treatment: drug withdrawal, hydration, symptomatic therapy.
special instructions
Pancreatin contains active enzymes that can damage the oral mucosa, so the tablets are swallowed whole, without chewing.
With long-term use, iron supplements are prescribed simultaneously.
In the presence of intestinal obstruction and similar symptoms, it is necessary to remember the possibility of the formation of intestinal strictures, and therefore it is recommended to monitor all unusual symptoms, especially when taking more than 10,000 units of lipase per 1 kg of body weight per day.
To avoid the formation of uric acid stones, the level of uric acid in the urine should be monitored.
If you take pancreatin before meals, you need to wash it down with an alkaline liquid (Borjomi, 0.5−1% sodium bicarbonate solution).
Care should be taken when prescribing pancreatin simultaneously with other drugs.
Driving
The ability to influence reaction speed when driving vehicles or working with other mechanisms has no effect.
Pancreatin and Mezim:
The effect of the drugs is similar, while the cost of pancreatin is much lower.
Omez
A drug whose active ingredient is omeprazole, inhibits the secretion of gastric acid and is used in the treatment of stomach ulcers and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Other pancreatic enzyme preparations
A number of related drugs, the basis of which is the lipase enzyme, differ in dosage and particle diameter (minimum is preferred)
- Creon: 10,000, 25,000, 40,000, less than 2 mm
- Panzinorm: 10,000, 20,000, less than 2 mm
- Micrazym: 10,000, 25,000, less than 2 mm
- Mezim-forte: 3500, 10,000, 20,000, more than 2 mm
- Pensital: 6000, more than 2 mm
- Digestal: 6000, more than 2 mm
- Festal: 6000, more than 2 mm
- Ermital: 10,000, 25,000, 36,000, less than 2 mm
- Enzistal: 6000, more than 2 mm.
Buy pancreatin in pharmacies
You can find out prices and purchase pancreatin using the links below:
- Pancreatin
- Pancreatin 8000
- Pancreatin Forte
- Mezim Forte
- Creon 25,000
Reviews
“The doctor prescribed me not only Mezim, but also Motilium for heartburn, because I have chronic cholecystopancreatitis, and often vomit after eating. Enzymes help food break down better, it does not ferment in the stomach, but is immediately absorbed, and Motilium suppresses the urge to vomit.”
Alexander, 42 years old:
“I heard that Mezim is a good drug, but I was wondering whether it helps with heartburn or not. The doctor said that I could take it because I suffer from low acidity in my stomach. Indeed, even after fatty foods, heartburn stopped tormenting me, the heaviness in my stomach disappeared.”
“I like the drug Mezim - it’s really effective and inexpensive. After the holidays, several days ago I suffered from abdominal pain and had problems with bowel movements. Now I drink it right before a meal and don’t suffer from heartburn or bloating.”
If you have digestive problems and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, doctors consider taking Mezim for heartburn justified. But the drug is not suitable for a one-time elimination of burning sensation in the esophagus, since it does not belong to the group of antacids. The tablets are prescribed by a specialist according to indications; the exact dosage, duration of treatment and frequency of administration are determined by the treating gastroenterologist.
special instructions
- You should not drink during exacerbation of chronic pancreatic inflammation.
- For cystic fibrosis, the dosage is selected according to the amount of enzymes necessary for digestion. This takes into account the quality and quantity of food consumed. It is possible to minimize the consequences by taking no more than 10,000 units/kg/day.
- If there is an increased level of lipase in the blood, when used simultaneously with Mezim, the risk of developing constipation increases. In this case, the dose is increased gradually.
Side effects
Most often, after consuming Mezim, an allergy appears in the form of hives. Additional phenomena are considered:
- diarrhea, constipation, nausea;
- epigastric discomfort;
- a jump in the level of urea in the blood with prolonged use and exceeding the daily dose.
The negative effect of Mezim therapy can be expressed by digestive disorders.
If the drug is taken for cystic fibrosis (which is a contraindication), strictures (narrowings) will form in the ileocecal area after taking high doses.