FW: Requested DocAlert: Acupuncture vs. Higher PPI Doses for GERD Patients

[Guest guest]

nice: from Epocrates.

 

Cara O. Frank, R.OM, Dipl Ac & Ch.H.

Six Fishes Healing Arts &

President China Herb Company of the Chinese Herb Program

Tai Sophia Institute of the Healing Arts

215-772-0770

 

 

> ------ Forwarded Message

> <docalerts

> Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:48:03 -0800 (PST)

> <HERBBABE

> Requested DocAlert: Acupuncture vs. Higher PPI Doses for GERD

> Patients

>

 

> Dear Clinician,

>

> Here is the information you requested (sourced from Journal Watch).

> Acupuncture vs. Higher PPI Doses for GERD Patients

> Can this alternative technique reduce persistent GERD symptoms in patients

> with incomplete responses to PPIs?

>

> Although proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the most effective therapy

> available for gastroesophageal reflux disease, 25% to 40% of patients who use

> these medications continue to suffer persistent GERD-related symptoms. The

> standard approach for treating such patients is to double their PPI doses,

> but, even at this higher level, only a subset of patients will demonstrate

> substantial improvement. Encouraged by the success of acupuncture in treating

> various gastrointestinal disorders, researchers studied whether double-dose

> PPI therapy (40 mg daily) or acupuncture plus standard-dose PPI therapy (20 mg

> daily) was more effective in controlling persistent GERD symptoms.

>

> Thirty patients from two U.S. medical centers were randomized to standard-dose

> omeprazole plus acupuncture or to double-dose omeprazole for 4 weeks. The

> acupuncture procedure stimulated five points that, according to traditional

> Chinese medicine theory, regulate acid secretion and gastric motility.

> Acupuncture was administered three times weekly for the first 2 weeks and then

> twice weekly for 2 weeks. Groups were matched for age, sex, race, and

> body-mass index. Patients were evaluated using the validated GERD Symptom

> Checklist.

> When baseline and follow-up scores were compared within each group, only the

> group that received acupuncture plus omeprazole exhibited significant

> improvements in daytime and nighttime heartburn, acid regurgitation,

> dysphagia, and mean general health scores.

>

> Comment: Naysayers might dismiss acupuncture as " voodoo medicine, " but

> scientific data support its therapeutic benefit for some conditions.

> Acupuncture has been reported to alter gastric acid secretion, enhance

> esophageal peristalsis, and alter visceral hypersensitivity. Although the lack

> of a sham control and questions about durability of acupuncture¹s effect limit

> the validity of this trial, its findings clearly warrant further study.

>

> ‹ David A. Johnson, MD

> <http://imageb.epocrates.com/mailbot/links?EdID=36176517 & LinkID=12779>

>

> Published in Journal Watch Gastroenterology January 4, 2008

>

> Citation: Dickman R et al. Clinical trial: Acupuncture vs. doubling the proton

> pump inhibitor dose in refractory heartburn. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2007 Nov

> 15; 26:1333. [Medline® Abstract

> <http://imageb.epocrates.com/mailbot/links?EdID=36176517 & LinkID=17923> ]

>

> 2007. Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.

>

> The above message comes from " Journal Watch " , who is solely responsible for

> its content.

>

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------ End of Forwarded Message

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

As an aside, I find that Epocrates program pretty handy in clinic.

They have a free download that runs a Rx list in your palm / pocketPC.

 

Geoff

 

, Cara Frank <herbbabe

wrote:

>

> nice: from Epocrates.

>

[Guest guest]

I love it. I use it nearly daily to check on drug effects and adverse

reactions.

Cara O. Frank, R.OM, Dipl Ac & Ch.H.

Six Fishes Healing Arts &

President China Herb Company of the Chinese Herb Program

Tai Sophia Institute of the Healing Arts

215-772-0770

 

 

 

 

G Hudson <crudo20

 

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:53:45 +0000

 

Re: FW: Requested DocAlert: Acupuncture vs. Higher PPI Doses

for GERD Patients

 

 

 

 

 

As an aside, I find that Epocrates program pretty handy in clinic.

They have a free download that runs a Rx list in your palm / pocketPC.

 

Geoff

 

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