The following categories of “stomach medications” are commonly referred to, with different mechanisms of action, and should be taken at different times. Antacids are weakly alkaline inorganic compounds that neutralize stomach acid and quickly relieve heartburn, pain and other symptoms caused by stomach acid. The common ones are magnesium aluminum carbonate (Daxi), calcium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide and magnesium trisilicate compound (Gastrodin). These drugs are relatively flexible, can be taken before or after meals (1-2 hours) and before bedtime, can also be taken when heartburn, stomach pain attacks. However, care should be taken to avoid taking them immediately after meals, because the drugs will be emptied from the stomach with the food and lose their effect. Acid-suppressing drugs inhibit the secretion of gastric acid, thus weakening the effect of gastric acid on gastric mucosa. Two types of drugs are commonly used, including histamine receptor antagonists, such as cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine, etc., and proton pump inhibitors with stronger acid-suppressing effects, such as esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium), omeprazole (Loxac), lansoprazole, rabeprazole, pantoprazole, etc. The former class of drugs is mostly taken after breakfast or dinner or before bedtime. The latter group of drugs should be taken before breakfast daily, and when taken twice daily, they should be taken on an empty stomach before breakfast and dinner. Pills should be swallowed whole and not chewed or crushed. Gastric mucosal protective agents There are two main types of drugs commonly used. One group of drugs, such as aluminum thioglycollate, aluminum phosphate, bismuth potassium citrate, etc., need to act directly with the stomach wall to form a protective film at the ulcer or inflammation site so as to play a barrier role, and therefore usually need to be taken one hour before meals or on an empty stomach to avoid food obstructing the contact between the drug and the stomach wall. Another class of drugs, such as gemfacate (Huizhong), is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and protects the gastric mucosa by promoting the secretion of relevant chemicals from the epithelial cells of the gastric mucosa without direct contact with the gastric wall. It is also better to take it after meals because it is fat-soluble and can be better absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract when dissolved in fat. Gastrointestinal stimulants are drugs that increase gastrointestinal motility, such as domperidone (morpholine) and mosapride, etc. They are best taken 15-30 minutes before meals so that they can be fully effective during meals. Digestive aids are drugs that promote gastrointestinal digestion of food, most of these drugs are themselves the main components of normal digestive juices, such as pepsin, pancreatic enzymes, etc. At present, the multi enzyme tablets, compound digestive enzyme (Daji), compound Azinomide (Ute), compound Kampishen tablets, etc. are all compound preparations of various digestive enzymes. They can be taken 15-30 minutes before meal, or during meal, or immediately after meal to promote food digestion, relieve abdominal distension, loss of appetite and other symptoms of indigestion, but do not chew the tablets when taking.