Heartburn: What Women Need to Know

Aired on Lifetime Television
May 18 and June 29, 2008
Show 513

Heartburn hits most of us at some point...and it rarely hits the heart. Heartburn is essentially acid reflux caused by acid splashing back into the esophagus. The esophagus can actually handle some acid splashing, but the burn becomes more serious if you start to feel it a couple of times a week. In some people, this burn can lead to a situation where it starts damaging the lining and then ulcers and scarring in the esophagus occur. Women and men are equally prone to heartburn but women often get a double whammy if they are pregnant—pressure on the abdomen and changes in hormones can light the fire. Many pregnant women who have heartburn don't want to take any medication, so lifestyle changes become the best option to fight the burn. Losing weight and avoiding certain trigger foods like chocolate and tomatoes will also help with occasional heartburn. For many people, simply changing what's on your plate won't do it. So antacids are available, which work by absorbing acid that is already in the stomach. If antacids don't do the trick, over the counter options might. A group of drugs known as H2 blockers like Pepcid® actually prevent heart burn before it happens by reducing acid production in the stomach. A prescription drug known as a PPI or proton pump inhibitor also reduces acid production. PPI's are effective regardless of the trigger and generally are recommended to be taken every day. Busy moms can't always watch when and what they eat, but because of effective medications, heartburn just gets added to the list of minor irritations. For most, it's just very annoying.