Medication-Induced Esophagitis
Medication-induced esophagitis is the injury
to the esophagus caused by medications.
Symptoms
The symptoms of this form of esophagitis are:
- Difficulty swallowing, which can worsen over time
- Pain when swallowing
- Vomiting, sometimes with blood in the vomit
- Blood in stool
- If left untreated, an ulcer, growth and/or stricture (narrowing
of the esophagus) can develop.
Causes of Medication-Induced Esophagitis
Usually, this form of esophagitis is caused by pills that get
stuck and dissolve in the esophagus. This can occur when large-sized
or many pills are taken with too little water or right before
falling asleep.
Medications that can cause injury to the esophagus if they dissolve
there instead of the stomach include:
- Antibiotics, such as clindamycin, doxycycline and tetracycline
- Iron or potassium medicines
- Quinidine
- Aspirin
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Prevention
Medication-induced esophagitis can be prevented by:
- Taking pills one-at-a-time with a full glass of water
- Drinking one or two glasses of water if you feel the pill
has trouble going down
- Waiting at least 15 minutes before going to bed or laying
down after taking medications
- Asking your doctor to prescribe smaller pills or medications
in liquid form
Do not break the pill in half or open the capsule without consulting
your doctor first – some medications may be designed to
be “slow-released” and absorbed over time. Breaking
the pills in half may change the way the medication is absorbed.
Treatment for Medication-Induced Esophagitis
Prevention is best – however, in some cases, your doctor
may need to retrieve pill fragments that become embedded in the
esophagus during an endoscopy procedure.
