Summary of medicine characteristics - GAVISCON EXTRA STRENGTH 500 LEMON TABLETS
1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT
1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCTGaviscon Extra Strength 500 Lemon Tablets.
2 QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITION
2 QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITIONEach tablet contains sodium alginate 500mg, sodium bicarbonate 267mg and calcium carbonate 160mg.
Excipient(s) with known effect:
Aspartame (E951) 7 mg/tablet
Sodium 126.5 mg/tablet
For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.
3. PHARMACEUTICAL FORM
3. PHARMACEUTICAL FORMChewable tablet.
An off-white to cream, circular, flat with bevelled edges tablet with the odour and flavour of lemon.
4. CLINICAL PARTICULARS
4.1. Therapeutic indications
Treatment of symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux such as acid regurgitation, heartburn and acid indigestion, for example, following meals or during pregnancy.
4.2 Posology and method of administration
For oral administration, after being thoroughly chewed.
Adults and children 12 years and over: Two to four tablets after meals and at bedtime.
Children under 12 years: Should be given only on medical advice.
Elderly: No dose modifications necessary for this age group.
Hepatic Impairment: No dose modification necessary.
Renal Insufficiency: Caution if highly restricted salt diet is necessary (see section 4.4).
4.3 Contraindications
This medicinal product is contraindicated in patients with known or suspected hypersensitivity to the active substances or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.
4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use
If symptoms do not improve after 7 days, the clinical situation should be reviewed.
This medicinal product contains 126.5 mg sodium per dose, equivalent to 6.3 % of the WHO recommended maximum daily intake for sodium.
The maximum daily dose of this product is equivalent to 101.2 % of the WHO recommended maximum daily intake for sodium.
This medicine is considered high in sodium. This should be particularly taken into account for those on a low salt diet (e.g. in some cases of congestive heart failure and renal impairment).
Each tablet dose contains 170mg (1.6mmol) of calcium carbonate. Care needs to be taken in treating patients with hypercalcaemia, nephrocalcinosis and recurrent calcium containing renal calculi.
This medicine contains 7 mg aspartame in each tablet.
Aspartame is a source of phenylalanine. It may be harmful if you have phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disorder in which phenylalanine builds up because the body cannot remove it properly.
4.5 Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction
A time-interval of 2 hours should be considered between Gaviscon intake and the administration of other medicinal products, especially tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, iron salts, thyroid hormones, chloroquine, biphosphonates and estramustine. See also 4.4.
4.6 Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
Pregnancy:
Clinical studies in more than 500 pregnant women as well as a large amount of data from post-marketing experience indicate no malformative nor feto/ neonatal toxicity of the active substances. Gaviscon can be used during pregnancy, if clinically needed.
Breast feeding:
No effects of the active substances have been shown in breastfed newborns/infants of treated mothers. Gaviscon can be used during breast-feeding.
Fertility:
Pre-clinical investigations have revealed alginate has no negative effect on parental or offspring fertility or reproduction.
Clinical data do not suggest that Gaviscon has an effect on human fertility.
4.7. Effects on ability to drive and use machines
None.
4.8 Undesirable effects
Adverse reactions have been ranked under headings of frequency using the following convention: very common (1/10), common (1/100 and <1/10), uncommon (1/1000 and <1/100), rare (1/10,000 and <1/1000), very rare (< 1/10,000) and not known (cannot be estimated from the available data).
| System Organ Class | Frequency | Adverse Event |
| Immune System Disorders | Very rare | Anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions. Hypersensitivity reactions such as urticaria. |
| Respiratory, Thoracic and Mediastinal Disorders | Very rare | Respiratory effects such as bronchospasm. |
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
4.9 OverdoseSymptoms
Symptoms are likely to be minor; some abdominal discomfort may be experienced.
In the event of overdose symptomatic treatment should be given.
5. PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
5.1. Pharmacodynamic properties
Pharmacotherapeutic classification: A02BX 13. Other drugs for peptic ulcer and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
On ingestion Gaviscon Extra Strength 500 Lemon Tablets react rapidly with gastric acid to form a raft of alginic acid gel having a near neutral pH and which floats on the stomach contents effectively impeding gastro-oesophageal reflux. In severe cases the raft itself may be refluxed into the oesophagus, in preference to the stomach contents, and exert a demulcent effect.
5.2. Pharmacokinetic properties
The mode of action of Gaviscon Extra Strength 500 Lemon Tablets is physical and does not depend on absorption into the systemic circulation.
5.3. Preclinical safety data
5.3. Preclinical safety dataNo pre-clinical findings of relevance to the prescriber have been reported.
6 PHARMACEUTICAL PARTICULARS
6.1 List of excipients
Lemon flavour no. 1 Marcrogol 20,000 Mannitol (E421) Copovidone
Aspartame (E951)
Acesulfame potassium (E950) Magnesium stearate
Sodium
6.2. Incompatibilities
Not applicable.
6.3. Shelf life
Two years.
6.4. Special precautions for storage
Do not store above 30°C. Store in the original package.
6.5. Nature and contents of container
Unprinted, glass-clear, thermoformable laminate of uPVC/PE/PVdC with aluminium foil lidding blister trays into cartons.
Blister tray containing six or ight individually sealed tablets. Two, four, six or eight blister trays in a carton.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed
6.6. Instruction for use and handling (, and disposal)
No special instructions.
No Data Held
7. MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER
Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare (UK) Limited
Dansom Lane
Hull
HU8 7DS
United Kingdom.
8. MARKETING AUTHORISATION NUMBER
PL 00063/0139
9. DATE OF FIRST AUTHORISATION/RENEWAL OF THE AUTHORISATION
9. DATE OF FIRST AUTHORISATION/RENEWAL OF THE AUTHORISATION7 October 2003