Opinion ID: 4372152
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: A method of providing immediate and sustained

Text: relief from pain, discomfort and/or symptoms associated with episodic heartburn in a human, said method comprising: orally administering to a human together or sub- stantially together an antacid in an amount effective to substantially neutralize gastric acid and a histamine H2-receptor antagonist in an amount effective to substantially inhibit or block gastric acid secretion for providing the human with immediate and sustained relief from pain, discomfort and/or symptoms associated with episodic heartburn, the immediate and sustained relief provided lasting longer in duration than when the human is orally treated with only the antacid and the immediate and sustained relief provided being faster than and lasting at least about as long in duration as when the human is orally treated with only the hista- mine H2-receptor antagonist. Id. col. 7 ll. 23–42 (emphasis added). The specification defines “immediate and sustained relief,” disclosing: It should therefore be appreciated that by the term “immediate and sustained relief,” it means herein immediate, temporary and sustained relief which starts within about 5-10 minutes following ingestion of the active ingredients and continues and remains constant for at least about 4-6 hours after ingestion of the active ingredients; the actual ingredients being an antacid and a histamine H2-recep- tor antagonist. Id. col. 3 ll. 22–29 (emphasis added). 4 BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL v. PERRIGO COMPANY