Are you taking omeprazole orally?

Omeprazole is well known to everyone. It can cure heartburn, Helicobacter pylori infection, abdominal pain and bloating with just a few tablets. As the saying goes, "All medicines are poisonous", and excessive use can lead to a series of problems. Do you know in which cases omeprazole can be used and in which cases it cannot be used? Today, Tiantan Pharmacist will give you a scientific explanation on this issue.

1. What is omeprazole?

Omeprazole, in professional terms, is a proton pump inhibitor that can inhibit H+/K+-ATPase. Proton pumps are responsible for transporting hydrogen ions out of cells into the stomach to increase gastric acid concentration. In layman's terms, proton pumps are porters, and omeprazole can allow these porters to rest and "strike", inhibiting gastric acid secretion and treating diseases such as excessive gastric acid, corrosive gastric acid, and ulcers.

2. What diseases are treated with omeprazole?

(1) Gastric ulcer. This common gastric disease is related to excessive gastric acid secretion. Omeprazole's acid-suppressing effect can protect the mucosa. Take 20 mg once a day, usually for 4 weeks. If it is not cured, take another 4 weeks. If it relapses, the treatment can be repeated.

(2) Duodenal ulcer. This disease is a common and frequently occurring disease, and is divided into two types: Helicobacter pylori and non-Helicobacter pylori. For non-Helicobacter pylori-induced ulcers, take 20 mg orally once a day. Generally, it takes two weeks to take. If the efficacy is uncertain, take another two weeks. If it is ineffective, increase the dose to 40 mg and take it once a day for a month. If it is caused by Helicobacter pylori, "triple therapy" can be used, with 20 mg of this drug, 1000 mg of amoxicillin, and 500 mg of clarithromycin, all taken twice a day, for a course of one week. Or take 20 mg of this drug, 250 mg of clarithromycin, and 400 mg of metronidazole, all taken twice a day, for a course of one week.

(3) Reflux esophagitis. This disease is an inflammatory lesion of the esophagus caused by the reflux of gastric and duodenal contents into the esophagus. Omeprazole is effective.

(4) Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Generally refers to gastrinoma. The initial dose is 60 mg once a day, followed by individualized treatment and the course of treatment determined based on clinical manifestations. More than 90% of patients can control symptoms with a daily dose of 20-120 mg. When the daily dose is higher than 80 mg, it should be administered in two doses.

3. Omeprazole, what should I pay attention to when using it for a long time?

Omeprazole is a relatively safe and effective drug, but long-term use still has some risks.

(1) Long-term use can easily lead to atrophic gastritis; long-term use of such drugs may increase the risk of complications such as fractures, Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, and hypomagnesemia.

(2) Furthermore, after stopping the medication, the gastric acid level will rise rapidly, which will make you feel very uncomfortable. Therefore, it is recommended to gradually reduce the dosage under the guidance of a pharmacist to avoid adverse reactions after sudden discontinuation of the medication.

(3) Long-term use may lead to iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency.

4. Which groups of people should be cautious when taking omeprazole?

(1) In patients with impaired liver and kidney function, do not exceed 20 mg per day. In patients with chronic kidney disease, PPIs should be used with caution.

(2) No dosage adjustment is required for the elderly.

(3) For children, the dosage should be adjusted and the course of treatment should not exceed 4 weeks. Be especially careful to avoid inducing lung infection.

(4) It is contraindicated for patients who are allergic to this drug or other benzimidazole compounds, and for patients who are pregnant or lactating.

(5) How to use it with Bifidobacterium. When some patients use Bifidobacterium to regulate the level of human flora, the efficacy of Bifidobacterium may be weakened when used together, so they should be used separately.