AstraZeneca presents studies on benefits of Nexium

WILMINGTON, Del. Patients receiving daily doses of a drug used to treat heartburn and other symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease over four weeks experienced greater relief from nighttime heartburn and GERD-related sleep disturbances than those taking placebo.

Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca presented two studies at Digestive Disease Week 2009 in Chicago indicating that the drug Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium) was effective in relieving moderate-to-severe nighttime heartburn and GERD-related sleep disturbances in the studies.

According to a study, seven-in-10 patients in the United States with symptomatic GERD experience symptoms after going to bed, and more than half wake up in the night as a result.

“Nighttime symptoms are particularly bothersome for people with GERD because they can disrupt a full night’s sleep,” Eastern Virginia School of Medicine professor of medicine and chief of gastroenterology David Johnson said.