Review: over-the-counter medications are effective for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
Q Are over-the-counter medications effective for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD)?
METHODS
Data sources:
Medline (to 2005), reference lists, abstracts of scientific meetings, and drug manufacturers.
Study selection and assessment:
English language randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared an antacid, alginate-antacid combination, or histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) at over-the-counter doses with placebo for treatment of GORD in adults and reported outcomes of interest (see below). 14 RCTs involving 18 comparisons (n = 7021) met the selection criteria. Quality of individual trials was assessed using the Jadad score.
Outcomes:
adequate relief of GORD symptoms, …
