Achlorhydria

1. Achlorhydria

2. Achlorhydria : Achlorhydria is the absence of hydrochloric acid in the gastric secretions. Patient with this condition fall into two groups. 01. Free of gastric hydrochloric acid after stimulating with histamine phosphate. 02. lack of gastric hydrochloric but respond to stimulation by histamine.

3. Symptom: The symptoms of acklorhydria can vary with the associated disease. These includes 01. Mild diarrhea 02.Epigastric pain 03. Sensitivity to spicy food 04. pernicious anaemia

4. Explanation: Pepsin possesses it’s greatest proteolytic activity below pH 3.5. In achlorhydria there is absense of hydrochloric acid in stomach. So pH is not maintain in desired level and pepsin is inactivated. As a result the above symptom arrived.

5. It is common for patients with achlorhydria to have pernicious anaemia due to lake of intrinsic factor, the protein necessary to carry vitamin B12 across the intestinal wall.

6. Complication: Patients of the first type fall into the complications of 01. Subtotal gastrectomy 02. Atrophic gastritis 03. Carcinoma of stomach 04. Gastric polyps

7. Patients of the second type fall into the complication of 01. Chronic nephritis 02. chronic alcoholism 03. Tuberculosis 04. Hyperthyroidism 05. pellagra 06 Sprue 07. parasitic infestation

8. Treatment: Treatment/Remedy of Achlorhydria : 5 ml dilute HCL N.F in 200 ml water required to treat achlorhydria . It provides about 15 meq of acid. Note: Dilute HCL means it will contain not less than 9.5 gm and not more than 10.5 gm in each 100 ml solution.

9. Natural remedies for achlorhydria : Batter herbs Betain hydrochloride Chew throwly Vitamin B complex Glutamine Ginger tea

10. Caution: In order to avoid exposure of dental enamel of HCL, the use of straw laid well back on toungue has been recommended or the use of equivalent product such as glutamic acid, HCL. Which is administered in capsules.

11. Prognosos : Little is known on the prognosis of achlorhydria , although there have been reports of gastric cancer.

12. Thanks to all