A 50-year-old attorney has self-treated for heartburn for years by drinking large amounts of antacids. She finally made an appointment with her family practice physician, who referred her to a...

A 50-year-old attorney has self-treated for heartburn for years by drinking large amounts of antacids. She finally made an appointment with her family practice physician, who referred her to a gastroenterologist. Her family practice physician instructed her to stop taking the antacids. 1. Why did the physician ask her to stop taking the antacids? In a few weeks, the attorney had an endoscopy, and it was discovered that she had gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and gastritis secondary to stress-induced hyperacidity. The physician has prescribed the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) omeprazole (Prilosec) 20 mg once a day. 2. What other conditions will the gastroenterologist test for during this diagnostic stage? 3. What is the rationale for the use of PPIs to treat GERD? 4. What patient teaching is important regarding the PPI?