[Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Moscow: results of a population study].

AIM: To study prevalence of the principal symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Moscow. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 1065 respondents aged 15-85 years (a random representative sample of population of one of the typical Moscow districts) participated in a questionnaire survey using the international questionnaire for detection of GERD incidence. RESULTS: Epigastric burning (EB) occurs in 39.6% examinees. GERD prevalence is 14.2%. Subjects with EB have the following symptoms of GERD: regurgitation (66.3%), epigastric pain (discomfort) (53.0%), nausea (43.6%), vomiting (23.2%), dysphagia (20.6%), chest pain (18.0%), odinophagia (5.5%), singultus (4.6%). There is a direct correlation between incidence rate of EB, height, body mass index, number of alcohol excesses and smoked cigarettes. CONCLUSION: EB occurs in both young and aged men and women with similar frequency. Significant differences were detected only in the age group 45-59 years in which EB is more frequent in women. All the symptoms excluding cough and singultus were seen in women significantly more frequently. With age, these differences disappeared but noncardial pain in the chest that was less frequent in the elderly. Muscovites with GERD symptoms are older (61.26 +/- 13.47 years) than those without such symptoms (58.44 +/- 16.28, p < 0.0001).

[Therapeutic effect of gastrozolum in stomach ulcers]. / Terapevticheskii éffekt gastrozola pri iazvennoi bolezni.

Gastrozolum is the proprietary name of a drug made in Saint Petersburg. Its international nonproprietary name is Omeprazole. The absorption rate is not related to food. Its pharmacotherapeutic action becomes apparent as an inhibitor of the proton pump leading to the inhibition of H+/K(+)-ATPase of the secretory membrane of parietal cells of the stomach mucous membrane and blocking of the concluding stage of hydrochloric acid secretion. The entire action leads to the decrease of the level of basal and induced secretion regardless of the nature of stimulus. As a result of this, symptoms of stomach ulcer decrease, and gastroduodenal ulcers heal faster. Penetrating into the stomach mucous membrane cells, the drug also has a cytoprotective action. The maximum blood concentration (0.6-1.5 mg/l) is found 2-3 hours after a single intake of 40 mg of the drug. It was determined that after the intake of 20 mg of Gastrozolum its action lasts for 24 hours and provides for the inhibition of both night and day secretion. The ricochet syndrome does not take place when the treatment is over. It was proved that Gastrozolum has a bactericidal action on Helicobacter pylori due to the sharp increase of stomach pH, which contributes to the realization of the effect of used components of the anti-helicobacter therapy. The experiment failed to establish any teratogenic or poisonous action on the embryos. The dosage form is a capsule containing 20 mg of Omeprazole in the form of pellets.