| Efficacy of Alka - Seltzer Effervescent as an Antacid. |
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Nam Hoon Park |
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Department of Anesthesiology, National Police Hospital, Korea. |
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| Abstract |
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To evaluate the efficacy of Alka-Seltzer Effervescent, a commercially available non-particulate antacid(mixture of sodium and potassium bicarbonate and citric acid), a clinical and in vitro titration study was designed. Two tablets of antacid dissolved in 30 ml of water was administered 5-30 minutes before the induction of general anesthesia in a group of patients undergoing Cesarean section. The volume and pH of gastric contents in each patient were under the critical level(vol<25ml, pH> 2.5) and no patient was at risk of aspiration in contrast with the control group which showed 48 % of patients were at risk when no antacid was administered(p<0.00l). In vitro titration study revealed that Alka-Seltzer Effervescent buffered 12-60 times the volume of HCI solution with a pH between 1.0-2.0 to above a pH of 2.5. Preoperative administration of Alka-Seltzer Effervescent at least 5 minutes before the induction of anesthesia can effectively increase the pH of gastic contents without increasing the volume significantly and thereby each patient undergoing Cesarean section will be safe from risk of aspiration. |
| Key Words:
Alka-Seltzer Effervescent; Antacid; Aspiration; pH; Volume |
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