a healthcare professional or visit www.aciphex.com. (NAPSA)—During holidays and other special occasions, many of us won't be able to resist those rich and delicious meals, leaving us with that all-too-familiar burning pain that moves up the throat. If you're like the more than 60 Aciphex also is indicated for healing of duodenal ulcers, main- tenance of healed erosive GERD and treatment of related symptoms of these conditions. Aciphex million Americans who suffer reg- ularly from heartburn, overeating can be more than just a painful is available in easy-to-swallow 20mg. enteric-coated tablets. Aci- nuisance. Heartburn may be a symptom of a more severe condition like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a disorder of the phex product labeling recommends once-daily dosing for most indications. In clinical trials, Aciphex digestive tract that can lead to serious complications if left untreated. GERD occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter, the valve that connects the esophagus to the stomach, inappropriately relaxes and allows digestive acids to reflux, or travel back up the esophagus. A more serious form of GERD, called erosive GERD, occurs when the lining of the esophagus is damaged from long- term acid exposure. “Unfortunately, certain foods popular during the holidays such as chocolate and peppermint, as well as fatty foods and alcoholic beverages, tend to exacerbate GERD. If you’re prone to heart- burn routinely after meals, avoid these foods and eat at least a few hours before sleeping,” says Susannah Spiess, M.D., F.A.C.P., attending gastroenterologist at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare and assistant professor at Northwestern University Medical school, Evanston, IL. For infrequent heartburn, an over-the-counter remedy may provide relief. However, for erosive GERD and its heartburn symp- toms, physicians may prescribe a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), such as Aciphex (rabeprazole sodium), for effective healing of erosive GERD and heartburnrelief. demonstrated a favorable sideeffect profile. Headache was the most common side effect assessed as possibly related to Aciphex (2.4 percent vs. 1.6 percent for placebo). Aciphex is contraindi- cated in patients with known sen- sitivity to rabeprazole, substituted benzimidazoles or any component of the formulation. As is the case for other PPIs, symptomatic response to therapy with Aciphex does not preclude the presence of gastric malignancy. PPIs, however, constitute an established class of drugs that has been shown to be well tolerated. For important safety information on Aciphex, visit www.aciphex.com.
