Rebamipide in Functional and Organic Dyspepsia: Sometimes the Best Offense Is a Good Defense

Excerpt

Dyspepsia is a very common complaint in gastroenterology (GI) and primary care clinics, affecting approximately one fifth of the global population. While the past decade has seen advances in defining and in appropriately characterizing dyspepsia and its subtypes, effective treatments for this condition remain elusive, particularly for patients whose dyspepsia is of functional (FD), rather than of structural or demonstrable (organic) cause. The most recent American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) guidelines [1] recommend sequential trials of proton pump inhibitor (PPI), tricyclic antidepressants, prokinetic drugs, and psychologic therapies for patients without organic cause for their symptoms, or with symptoms not responding to appropriate treatment of the underlying organic cause (such as eradication of H pylori infection). None of these approaches, however, are supported by high-quality scientific evidence. The development of new treatment strategies for dyspepsia still represents a major unmet clinical need. …