The Significance of Rebound Gastric Hyperacidity in Horses

Presentation Description / Summary: Rebound gastric hyperacidity (RGH) is an important condition that affects approximately 20-40% of human patients following the discontinuation of omeprazole therapy. Pilot data has demonstrated that hypergastrinemia, the primary driver for RGH, occurs in horses with as little as 2 weeks of omeprazole therapy and the presenter's research group has recently shown that ESGD prevalence rebounds to pre-treatment baseline in as little as 3 days post-discontinuation of omeprazole therapy in Thoroughbred racehorses. This presentation will review the current theoretical background surrounding RGH, present new data from ongoing research into the effects of medium term omeprazole therapy on serum gastrin concentrations and their persistence, and discuss what management strategies can be employed during the withdrawal period to minimize the risk of rebound ESGD.