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Aluminium-magnesium complexes
HYDROTALCITE
Aluminium magnesium carbonate hydroxide
hydrate
Indications
dyspepsia
Cautions
see notes above; interactions: Appendix 1
(antacids)
Hepatic impairment
see notes above
Renal impairment
see notes above
Side-effects
see notes above
With simeticone
Altacite Plus
c
see below
Antacid preparations containing
simeticone
Altacite Plus
c
(Peckforton)
Suspension
,
sugar-free,
co-simalcite 125/500 (sime-
ticone 125 mg,
hydrotalcite 500 mg)/5 mL (low Na
+
).
Net price 500 mL = £2.79
Dose
10 mL between meals and at bedtime when required;
CHILD 8–12 years 5 mL between meals and at bedtime when
required
Asilone
c
(Thornton & Ross)
Suspension
,
sugar-free,
dried aluminium hydroxide
420 mg,
simeticone 135 mg,
light magnesium oxide
70 mg/5 mL (low Na
+
).
Net price 500 mL = £1.95
Dose
ADULT and CHILD over 12 years, 5–10 mL after meals and at
bedtime or when required up to 4 times daily
Maalox Plus
c
(Sanofi-Aventis)
Suspension
,
sugar-free,
dried aluminium hydroxide
220 mg,
simeticone 25 mg,
magnesium hydroxide
195 mg/5 mL (low Na
+
).
Net price 500 mL = £2.79
Dose
5–10 mL 4 times daily (after meals and at bedtime) or when
required;
CHILD under 12 years see
BNF for Children
Simeticone alone
Simeticone (activated dimeticone)
is an antifoaming
agent.
It is licensed for infantile colic but evidence of
benefit is uncertain.
Dentinox
c
(DDD) U
Colic drops
(= emulsion), simeticone 21 mg/2.5-mL
dose.
Net price 100 mL = £1.73
Dose
colic or wind pains,
NEONATE and INFANT 2.5 mL with or
after each feed (max. 6 doses in 24 hours); may be added to bottle
feed
Note
The
brand
name
Dentinox
c
is
also
used
for
other
preparations including teething gel
Infacol
c
(Forest) U
Liquid
,
sugar-free,
simeticone 40 mg/mL (low Na
+
).
Net price 50 mL = £2.26. Counselling, use of dropper
Dose
colic or wind pains, NEONATE and INFANT 0.5–1 mL before
feeds
1.1.2
Compound alginates and
proprietary indigestion
preparations
Alginate taken in combination with an antacid increases
the viscosity of
stomach contents and can protect the
oesophageal
mucosa from acid reflux.
Some alginate-
containing preparations form a viscous gel
(‘raft’) that
floats on the surface of the stomach contents,
thereby
reducing symptoms of reflux.
Antacids
may damage enteric coatings
designed to
prevent
dissolution in the stomach.
For
interactions,
see Appendix 1 (antacids,
calcium salts).
Alginate raft-forming oral suspensions
The following preparations
contain sodium alginate,
sodium bicarbonate, and calcium carbonate in a suitable
flavoured vehicle,
and conform to the specification for
Alginate Raft-forming Oral Suspension,
BP.
Acidex
c
(Pinewood)
Liquid
,
sugar-free,
sodium alginate 250 mg,
sodium
bicarbonate 133.5 mg,
calcium carbonate 80 mg/
5 mL.
Contains about 3 mmol Na
+
/5 mL.
Net price
500 mL (aniseed- or peppermint-flavour) = £2.30
Dose
10–20 mL after meals and at bedtime; CHILD 6–12 years 5–
10 mL after meals and at bedtime
Peptac
c
(IVAX)
Suspension
,
sugar-free,
sodium bicarbonate
133.5 mg, sodium alginate 250 mg, calcium carbonate
80 mg/5 mL. Contains 3.1 mmol Na
+
/5 mL. Net price
500 mL (aniseed- or peppermint-flavoured) = £2.16
Dose
10–20 mL after meals and at bedtime; CHILD 6–12 years 5–
10 mL after meals and at bedtime
Other compound alginate preparations
Gastrocote
c
(Actavis)
Tablets
,
alginic acid 200 mg,
dried aluminium hydro-
xide 80 mg,
magnesium trisilicate 40 mg,
sodium
bicarbonate 70 mg.
Contains about 1 mmol Na
+
/
tablet.
Net price 100-tab pack = £3.51
Cautions
diabetes mellitus (high sugar content)
Dose
ADULT and CHILD over 6 years, 1–2 tablets chewed 4 times
daily (after meals and at bedtime)
Liquid
,
sugar-free,
peach-coloured, dried aluminium
hydroxide 80 mg,
magnesium trisilicate 40 mg,
sod-
ium alginate 220 mg,
sodium bicarbonate 70 mg/
5 mL.
Contains 2.13 mmol Na
+
/5 mL.
Net price
500 mL = £2.67
Dose
5–15 mL 4 times daily (after meals and at bedtime); CHILD
6–12 years,
5–10 mL 4 times daily (after meals and at bedtime)
Gaviscon
c
Advance
(Reckitt Benckiser)
Tablets
,
sugar-free,
sodium alginate 500 mg,
potas-
sium bicarbonate 100 mg.
Contains 2.25 mmol Na
+
,
1 mmol K
+
/tablet. Net price 60-tab pack (peppermint-
flavoured) = £3.07
Excipients
include aspartame (section 9.4.1)
Dose
ADULT and CHILD over 12 years, 1–2 tablets to be chewed
after meals and at bedtime;
CHILD 6–12 years,
1 tablet to be
chewed after meals and at bedtime (under medical
advice only)
Suspension
,
sugar-free,
aniseed- or peppermint fla-
vour, sodium alginate 500 mg, potassium bicarbonate
46
1.1.2 Compound alginates and proprietary indigestion preparations
BNF 61
1
Gastro-intestinal system