Pharmacy Guide
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Pharmacy Guide
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Gaviscon Advance Aniseed Oral Suspension
⚠ This medicine appears to have been discontinued
The electronic medicines compendium (emc) no longer publishes a Summary of Product Characteristics for this product, which usually means it is no longer marketed in the UK. The patient leaflet below is kept for reference, but the product may not be available.
If you were prescribed this medicine, other products containing Potassium bicarbonate, Sodium alginate may still be available. Do not stop your treatment — ask your pharmacist or GP what to use instead.
How to store it
this medicine. 6. Further information. 1. What is this medicine and what is it used for? Gaviscon Advance belongs to a group of medicines called "reflux suppressants'. This product forms a protective layer that floats on top of the stomach contents. This layer prevents reflux and keeps the stomach contents away from the lining of the food pipe to relieve the symptoms of heartburn and acid indigestion. It can also be used to relieve the symptoms of conditions such as hiatus hernia {protrusion of muscle through a muscle wall), reflux oesophagitis {inflamed foodpipe) and symptoms of hoarseness and other voice disorders, sore throat and cough associated with reflux. It can also be taken to control heartburn symptoms which may occur when taking, or following withdrawal of, medication to reduce stomach acid such as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) or H2 Antagonists.
Do not take Gaviscon Advance: :- If you know you are allergic (hypersensitive) to any of the 'ingredients in this product (see 'Further Information' for a full list , of ingredients). 'Take special care with Gaviscon Advance: i This medicine contains 57.85 mg sodium (main component of ; cooking/table salt) in each 5 mi. This is equivalent to 2.9% of the recommended maximum daily dietary intake of sodium for an adult. The maximum recommended daily dose of this medicinal i product contains 462.8 mg sodium (found in table salt). This is equivalent to 23.14% of the adult recommended maximum daily i dietary intake for sodium. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you 'need this medicine on a daily basis for a prolonged period of itime, especially if you have been advised to have a low salt diet. 'This medicine contains 0.525 mg benzyl alcohol in each 5 ml. i Benzyl alcohol may cause allergic reactions. Ask your doctor or |Pharmacist for advice if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. This
taking this medicine and other medicines such as tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones (types of antibiotics), iron salts, thyroid hormones, chloroquine (a medication used to prevent malaria), bisphosphonates (a medication used to treat osteoporosis) and estramustine (a medication to treat prostate cancer). Pregnancy and breast-feeding: You can take this product if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. As with all medicines, the treatment duration should be limited as much as possible. Important information about some of the ingredients of Gaviscon Advance: This product contains methyl (E218) and propyl (E216) para-hydroxybenzoates which may cause allergic reactions (possibly delayed). Driving and using machines: This medicine has no influence on the ability to drive and use machines.
Check that the cap seal is unbroken before first using this product. Shake well before use. Adults including the elderly and children 12 years and over: 5-10 ml (one to two 5ml spoonfuls) after meals and at bedtime. Children under 12 years: Should only be taken on medical advice. If you forget a dose it is not necessary to double the dose next time, just carry on taking as before. If you take too much of this product you may feel bloated and experience some abdominal discomfort. It is unlikely to cause you any harm, but please consult your doctor or pharmacist if this doesn't go away. If symptoms persist after 7 days consult your doctor. 4, Possible side effects. Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Very rarely (less than 1 in 10,000 patients) there is a chance of an allergic reaction to the ingredients. Symptoms of this may include skin rash, itching, difficulty breathing, dizziness or swelling of the face, lips, tongue
'and vomiting (less than 1 in 100 people). If you experience these or jany other side effects stop taking the product and consult your 'doctor immediately. ilf you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. i This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You ican also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: | http:/Awww.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard" or search for MHRA Yellow iCard in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this imedicine.
'5. How to store this medicine. 'Do not use this product after the expiry date (EXP: month/year)
;Shown. Keep out of the sight and reach of children.
'Do not refrigerate. 'Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household iwaste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer
body and may cause side effects (called "metabolic acidosis"). Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you have liver or kidney disease. This is because large amounts of benzyl alcohol can build-up in your body and may cause side effects (called "metabolic acidosis"). This medicine contains 1.0 mmol (39.06 mg) of potassium per 5 ml. To be taken into consideration by patients with reduced kidney function or patients on a controlled potassium diet.
- Please also talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you need this product on a daily basis for a prolonged period of time, especially if you have been advised to follow a low salt (sodium) diet or if you suffer or have suffered from significant kidney or heart disease, as certain salts could interfere with these diseases. Taking other medicines: Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines
6. Further Information. Each 10 ml of oral suspension contains 1000 mg sodium alginate and 200 mg potassium hydrogen carbonate as the active ingredients. The other ingredients are calcium carbonate, carbomer, methyl (E218) and propyl (E216) parahydroxybenzoates, benzyl alcohol (present in fennel flavour), sodium saccharin, sodium hydroxide, aniseed flavour derived from fennel and purified water. This product does not contain sugar or gluten. Gaviscon Advance is available in bottles of 80ml, 100ml, 125ml, 140ml, 150ml, 180ml, 200ml, 250ml, 300ml, 500ml, 560m! or 600mI. Not all pack sizes may be marketed. Manufacturer and Product Licence Holder: Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare (UK) Limited, Hull, HU8 7DS. UK Distributor: Forum Health Products. Date of preparation: June 2024. Gaviscon is a trade mark of the Reckitt group.
Frequently asked questions about Gaviscon Advance Aniseed Oral Suspension
How do I take Gaviscon Advance Aniseed Oral Suspension?
Gaviscon Advance Aniseed Oral Suspension comes as oral solution. Always follow the dose your doctor or pharmacist has given you, and read the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
What is the active substance in Gaviscon Advance Aniseed Oral Suspension?
The active substance in Gaviscon Advance Aniseed Oral Suspension is potassium bicarbonate, sodium alginate.
Are there equivalent medicines to Gaviscon Advance Aniseed Oral Suspension?
Medicines with the same active substance, strength and form include: Gaviscon Advance Peppermint Flavour Oral Suspension. They are interchangeable only if your prescriber or pharmacist says so.
Where does this information come from?
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Gaviscon Advance Aniseed Oral Suspension, as published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). The version printed inside your medicine’s packaging is the one that applies to you.
Can I get Gaviscon Advance Aniseed Oral Suspension without a prescription?
Whether a medicine is available over the counter or on prescription only depends on its licence. Check the leaflet, or ask your pharmacist — they can tell you straight away.
About this leaflet
The text above reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for this medicine, restructured for easier reading.
- Source: electronic medicines compendium (emc), Datapharm
- Active substance: potassium bicarbonate, sodium alginate
- Official document: view the original leaflet on emc →
⚕For healthcare professionals — Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC)Full SmPC: dosage, interactions, contraindications, warnings+
4.1. Therapeutic indications
Treatment of symptoms resulting from the reflux of acid, bile and pepsin into the oesophagus such as acid regurgitation, heartburn, indigestion (occurring due to the reflux of stomach contents), for instance, after gastric surgery, as a result of hiatus hernia, during pregnancy, accompanying reflux oesophagitis, including symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux such as hoarseness and other voice disorders, sore throats and cough. Can also be used to treat the symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux during concomitant treatment with or following withdrawal of acid suppressing therapy.
4.2. Posology and method of administration
Adults and children 12 years and over: 5-10 ml after meals and at bedtime
Children under 12 years: Should be given only on medical advice
Elderly: No dose modification is required for this age group.
Hepatic Impairment: No dose modification necessary.
Renal Insufficiency: Caution if highly restricted salt diet is necessary (see section 4.4).
4.3. Contraindications
This medicinal product is contraindicated in patients with known or suspected hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients, or any of the excipients listed in section 6.1, including methyl parahydroxybenzoate (E218) and propyl parahydroxybenzoate (E216) (see section 4.4).
4.4. Special warnings and precautions for use
If symptoms do not improve after 7 days, the clinical situation should be reviewed.
Warning related to Excipients:
Sodium: This medicinal product contains 57.85 mg sodium per 5 ml, equivalent to 2.9 % of the WHO recommended maximum daily intake for sodium. The maximum daily dose of this product is equivalent to 23.14 % of the WHO recommended maximum daily intake for sodium.
This product is considered high in sodium. This should be particularly taken into account for those on a low salt diet (e.g. in some cases of congestive heart failure and renal impairment).
Potassium: This medicine contains 1mmol (39.06 mg) potassium per 5 ml. To be taken into consideration by patients with reduced kidney function or patients on a controlled potassium diet.
Calcium: Each 10 ml contains 200 mg (2 mmol) of calcium carbonate. Care needs to be taken in treating patients with hypercalcaemia, nephrocalcinosis and recurrent calcium containing renal calculi.
Methyl and propyl parahydroxybenzoate: Contains methyl parahydroxybenzoate (E218) and propyl parahydroxybenzoate (E216): May cause allergic reactions (possibly delayed).
Benzyl alcohol: This medicine contains 0.525 mg benzyl alcohol in each 5 ml. Benzyl alcohol may cause allergic reactions.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. This is because large amounts of benzyl alcohol can build-up in your body and may cause side effects (called “metabolic acidosis”).
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you have liver or kidney disease. This is because large amounts of benzyl alcohol can build-up in your body and may cause side effects (called “metabolic acidosis”).
4.5. Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction
A time-interval of 2 hours should be considered between Gaviscon intake and the administration of other medicinal products, especially tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, iron salts, thyroid hormones, chloroquine, bisphosphonates, and estramustine.
4.6. Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
Pregnancy:
Clinical studies in more than 500 pregnant women as well as a large amount of data from post-marketing experience indicate no malformative nor foeto/neonatal toxicity of the active substances. Gaviscon can be used during pregnancy, if clinically needed.
Breast feeding:
No known effect on breast fed infants. Gaviscon can be used during breast feeding.
Fertility:
No known effect on human fertility.
4.8. Undesirable effects
Adverse reactions have been ranked under headings of frequency using the following convention: very common (1/10), common (1/100 and <1/10), uncommon (1/1000 and <1/100), rare (1/10,000 and <1/1000), very rare (< 1/10,000) and not known (cannot be estimated from the available data).
System Organ Class
Frequency
Adverse Event
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Uncommon
Diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting.
Immune System Disorders
Very rare
Anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions. Hypersensitivity reactions such as urticaria.
Respiratory, Thoracic and Mediastinal Disorders
Very rare
Respiratory effects such as bronchospasm.
Reporting of Suspected Adverse Reactions
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
4.9. Overdose
Symptoms
Symptoms are likely to be minor; some abdominal discomfort may be experienced.
Management
In the event of overdose, symptomatic treatment should be given.
💬 Ask about this leaflet
Ask anything about Gaviscon Advance Aniseed Oral Suspension. The assistant answers only from this leaflet — if the leaflet does not cover it, it will say so. It does not give medical advice.
Answers come from the patient leaflet published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). They are not medical advice. Ask a pharmacist or your GP if you are unsure. For urgent help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency.