Gastal

Drug name: Gastal

Active Ingredients: aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide

Therapeutic actions: Gastal is a product reducing the enhanced gastric acidity. It is a balanced gel of aluminium and magnesium hydroxides, insoluble and almost unabsorbing in the body. It has local action on the gastric mucosa, protecting it from the irritating action of the stomach acids and other harmful substances and foodstuffs, decreases the activity of pepsin. The product reduces also the enhanced acidity in esophagus. It has anti-inflammatory and astringent action on the mucosa of esophagus, stomach and duodenum.

Indications:
Gastal is used to relieve heartburn, sour stomach, or acid indigestion.
Gastal in combination with simethicone may also be used to treat the symptoms of stomach or duodenal ulcers.

Contraindications and cautions:
If you are taking this medicine without a prescription, carefully read and follow any precautions on the label. For antacids, the following should be considered:
Allergies-Tell your health care professional if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to aluminum-, calcium-, magnesium-, simethicone-, or sodium bicarbonate-containing medicines. Also, tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Diet-Make certain your health care professional knows if you are on a low-sodium diet. Some antacids contain large amounts of sodium.
Pregnancy-Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals. However, there have been reports of antacids causing side effects in babies whose mothers took antacids for a long time, especially in high doses during pregnancy. Also, sodium-containing medicines should be avoided if you tend to retain (keep) body water.
Breast-feeding-Some aluminum-, calcium-, or magnesium-containing antacids may pass into breast milk. However, these medicines have not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.
Children-Antacids should not be given to young children (under 6 years of age) unless ordered by their doctor. Since children cannot usually describe their symptoms very well, a doctor should first check the child. The child may have a condition that needs other treatment. If so, antacids will not help and may even cause unwanted effects or make the condition worse. In addition, aluminum- or magnesium-containing medicines should not be given to premature or very young children because they may cause serious side effects, especially when given to children who have kidney disease or who are dehydrated.
Older adults-Aluminum-containing antacids should not be used by elderly persons with bone problems or with Alzheimer's disease. The aluminum may cause their condition to get worse.
Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Alzheimer's disease (for aluminum-containing antacids only)
• Appendicitis (or signs of)
• Bone fractures
• Colitis
• Constipation (severe and continuing)
• Hemorrhoids
• Intestinal blockage
• Intestinal or rectal bleeding-Antacids may make these conditions worse
• Colostomy
• Inflamed bowel-Use of antacids may cause the body to retain (keep) water and electrolytes such as sodium and/or potassium
• Diarrhea (continuing)-Aluminum-containing antacids may cause the body to lose too much phosphorus; magnesium-containing antacids may make diarrhea worse
• Edema (swelling of feet or lower legs)
• Heart disease
• Liver disease
• Toxemia of pregnancy-Use of sodium-containing antacids may cause the body to retain (keep) water
• Kidney disease-Antacids may cause higher blood levels of aluminum, calcium, or magnesium, which may increase the risk of serious side effects
• Sarcoidosis-Use of calcium-containing antacids may cause kidney problems or too much calcium in the blood
• Underactive parathyroid glands-Use with calcium-containing antacids may cause too much calcium in the blood

Adverse effects: Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
Bone pain; constipation (severe and continuing); mood or mental changes; muscle weakness; swelling of wrists or ankles; weight loss (unusual), Dizziness ; feeling of discomfort (continuing); irregular heartbeat; loss of appetite (continuing); mood or mental changes; muscle weakness; unusual tiredness or weakness;
Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:

• Chalky taste
• Constipation (mild);
• diarrhea or laxative effect;
• increased thirst;
• speckling or whitish discoloration of stools;
• stomach cramps

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Interactions: It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.
When you are taking antacids, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Cellulose sodium phosphate (e.g., Calcibind)-Calcium-containing antacids may decrease the effects of cellulose sodium phosphate; use with magnesium-containing antacids may prevent either medicine from working properly; antacids should not be taken within 1 hour of cellulose sodium phosphate
• Fluoroquinolones (medicine for infection)-Antacids may decrease the effects of these medicines
• Isoniazid taken by mouth (e.g., INH)-Aluminum-containing antacids may decrease the effects of isoniazid; isoniazid should be taken at least 1 hour before or after the antacid
• Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) or
• Methenamine (e.g., Mandelamine)-Antacids may decrease the effects of ketoconazole or methenamine; these medicines should be taken 3 hours before the antacid
• Mecamylamine (e.g., Inversine)-Antacids may increase the effects and possibly the side effects of mecamylamine
• Sodium polystyrene sulfonate resin (SPSR) (e.g., Kayexalate)-This medicine may decrease the effects of antacids
• Tetracyclines (medicine for infection) taken by mouth-Use with antacids may decrease the effects of both medicines; antacids should not be taken within 3 to 4 hours of tetracyclines

Additional Information: DO NOT SHARE THIS MEDICINE with others. DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE for other health conditions. KEEP THIS PRODUCT, as well as syringes and needles, if needed during treatment, out of the reach of children. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials.