Adult Dosing
Temporary relief of heartburn and acid indigestion due to acid reflux
- 2-4 tabs PO qid after meals and at bedtime as required; Max: 16 tabs/day
Notes:- Do not swallow chew tablets wholly
- Do not take 16 tablets daily for more than 2 wks
- Drink a half glass of water or other liquid after each dose for best results
Pediatric Dosing
Temporary relief of heartburn and acid indigestion due to acid reflux
- >12yrs: 2-4 tabs PO qid after meals and at bedtime as required; Max: 16 tabs/day
Notes:- Chew tablets; do not swallow them whole
- Do not take 16 tablets daily for more than 2 wks
- Drink a half glass of water or other liquid after each dose for best results
See Supplemental Patient Information
- Do not take more than 16 tablets in a 24-hr period or 16 tablets daily for more than 2 wks
- Advise patients not to use for peptic ulcers or if they have trouble swallowing
- Do not use this drug within 2 hrs before or after taking a digoxin, beta-blocker, cephalosporin, corticosteroid, bisphosphonate, imidazole, or sulfonylurea as this may reduce their effectiveness
- Therapy should be administered under the advice and supervision of a physician; administer cautiously in patients on a sodium-restricted diet
- Seek professional assistance or contact a poison control center immediately if overdose occurs
Cautions: Use cautiously in
- Concomitant sodium-restricted diet
- Decreased kidney function
- Hypermagnesemia
- Nephrolithiasis
- Osteomalacia
- Alzheimer disease
- Appendicitis
- History of diarrhea
- GI blockage
- Ileostomy
- Volume depletion
- GI bleed
Supplemental Patient Information
- Advise patients to consult their physicians if their symptoms do not improve within 2 weeks or if they get worse or if they experience black, tarry stools or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
Pregnancy Category:B
Breastfeeding: No published information is available on use of aluminum hydroxide or magnesium trisilicate, antacid therapy, in nursing mothers. Additional intake of these minerals by a nursing mother is unlikely to surpass that found in other infant foods; also, oral absorption of aluminum and magnesium is poor. Hence, antacid use during breastfeeding is acceptable and no special precautions are required. This information is based upon Lactmed database (available at http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT last accessed 9 May 2011).
US Trade Name(s)
US Availability
Foamcoat (aluminum hydroxide/magnesium trisilicate)
- OTC CHEW TABS: 80 mg/20 mg
Gaviscon (aluminum hydroxide/magnesium trisilicate)
Canadian Trade Name(s)
Canadian Availability
UK Trade Name(s)
UK Availability
Australian Trade Name(s)
Australian Availability