Sucralfate is a mucosal protectant used to treat and prevent stomach ulcers. In this mnemonic video, we'll cover the important facts about sucralfate so you'll be ready come test day. It's the night before I head out on a long trip and, of course, I procrastinated packing until the last possible second. Take a look at my suitcase that I'm packing in. Let's use this suitcase to symbolize the drug sucralfate.
You know, since suitcase sounds a lot like sucralfate, it's the sucralfate suitcase. Now that you're anchored to this scene, let's continue on to learn more about this drug. I really should have started packing earlier. I want to pack my favorite shirt in this suitcase, but I didn't realize it has a huge hole right in the middle of it. Here at Pixerize, we use a hole around the belly area of a shirt to symbolize ulcers.
Because ulcers are essentially a hole in the lining of your GI tract, right? Well, if I want to take this shirt, I better fix it quick. Notice how I'm taking a big patch and sewing it to cover the hole. This is kind of similar to how sucralfate works. Sucralfate is a mucosal protectant that is used to treat stomach ulcers.
Sucralfate creates a protective layer over the lining of the gastrointestinal tract which works to cover the ulcers and prevent them from being further damaged by stomach acid. This gives the ulcer time to heal and can also work to prevent the formation of other ulcers. Now let's move on to some important nursing considerations.
In my hurry, I tossed the medication into the suitcase without realizing the lid wasn't on all the way. and the pills spilled all over the suitcase. You can use this jumble of spilled pills to remind you that sucralfate has a lot of drug interactions.
Sucralfate will affect pretty much all drugs taken by mouth, which makes sense if you think about how sucralfate creates a barrier along the stomach and intestines that prevents the drugs from being absorbed. Because of this, sucralfate should not be taken at the same time as other oral medications. This one needs to be taken by itself, which brings me to my next point. Now shift your gaze to the empty fridge.
Before going on a long trip, I always empty out the fridge. I don't want any food to go rotten in there while I'm gone, you know? This empty fridge without any food is your reminder that sucralfate should be taken on an empty stomach.
Just like there's no food in this fridge, there shouldn't be food in the stomach with sucralfate. You'll probably see sucralfate be prescribed an hour before meals and late at bedtime so that it can properly coat the GI tract without food getting in the way. Alright, just one quick side effect to cover before we wrap up.
The last thing left to empty in my fridge is this bottle of chocolate sauce. I want to make sure I squeeze out every last drop, but I'm having some trouble squeezing it out. You know, the way I'm straining to squeeze this chocolate reminds me of constipation.
Constipation is the most common side effect with sucralfate, so you might see this one come up on your exam. Alright, that's all for this mnemonic on sucralfate. Let's recap. Sucralfate is a mucosal protectant that forms a protective layer over the walls of the gastrointestinal tract which can be helpful in preventing and treating ulcers.
Notably, sucralfate alters the absorption of other drugs taken by mouth, so it shouldn't be taken at the same time as any other PO medications. Sucralfate is best taken on an empty stomach. It may cause constipation as a side effect in some patients. Now, if you'll excuse me, I should really get back to packing my bags.
Thanks for dropping in and I'll see you next time! For more resources on this topic, including fact lists and interactive review images, click the image next to the More Here arrow. I'll see you next time.