1. Heartburn: Foods to Eat, Foods to Avoid Slideshow Pictures
2. Digestive Disease Myths Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the GERD Quiz

Pharmacy Author:

Annette (Gbemudu) Ogbru, PharmD, MBA

Annette (Gbemudu) Ogbru, PharmD, MBA

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Medical and Pharmacy Editor:

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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Sucralfate (Carafate) may be used initially to protect an irritated or inflamed esophagus.

• How coating drugs work: This drug binds to proteins from secretions in the stomach and esophagus, which forms a substance that protects the lining of the stomach and esophagus.
• Who should not use these medications: Individuals who have experienced an allergic reaction to this drug should not take it.
• Use: Sucralfate must be taken four times a day on an empty stomach, and at least one hour before meals.
• Drug or food interactions: Sucralfate may decrease effects of ketoconazole (Nizoral), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), tetracycline (Sumycin), phenytoin (Dilantin), warfarin (Coumadin), quinidine (Quinaglute, Cardioquin, Quinidex), and theophylline (SLO-BID, Theo-24, Theo-Dur, Uniphyl).
• Side effects: Sucralfate should be used with caution in people with kidney failure because it contains aluminum, which may accumulate in the body. The drug often causes constipation.

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