Reflux suppressant (alginate raft + antacid)
Sodium alginate with calcium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate
Brand names: Gaviscon Advance, Peptac
Adult dose
Dose: 10–20mL PO after meals + ON. Pregnancy/breastfeeding: 5–10mL after meals
Route: PO
Frequency: after meals + ON
Clinical pearls
- GORD / pregnancy-related heartburn (1st-line per NICE/RCOG)
- Take after meals to coat stomach contents
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity
- Severe heart failure
- Hypercalcaemia
Side effects
- Constipation
- Bloating
- Hypercalcaemia (rare)
- Hypernatraemia (high sodium content)
Interactions
- Many oral drugs — separate by 2h (tetracyclines, quinolones, levothyroxine, iron)
Reference: BNF; NICE CG184; RCOG; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/sodium-alginate-with-calcium-carbonate-and-sodium-bicarbonate/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
Pathways
- Lower Gastrointestinal Bleed · BSG 2019; NICE NG141
- Variceal Upper GI Bleed · BSG 2015; Baveno VII (2022)
- Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP) · BSG / EASL 2018
- Hepatorenal Syndrome · EASL 2018; ICA 2015
- Hepatic Encephalopathy · EASL 2014; West Haven criteria
- Clostridioides difficile Colitis · NICE NG199 (2021); IDSA/SHEA 2021