Prilosec (Omeprazole)

Prilosec (Omeprazole) Medication Information:

What is Prilosec?

Prilosec is available as a prescription and over-the-counter medicine. It is used to treat gastrointestinal problems such as acid reflux, ulcers, and heartburn. Prilosec contains the active ingredient omeprazole and it belongs to a class of drugs called Proton Pump Inhibitors. It works by reducing the amount of acid secreted in the stomach.

Benefits and Uses of Prilosec:

• Duodenal Ulcer: Prilosec is prescribed for 4-8 weeks to treat ulcers in the first part of the small intestine called the duodenum. The medicine is used along with antibiotics such as clarithromycin and amoxicillin to treat adults with H. pylori infection and duodenal ulcers.
• Gastric or Stomach Ulcer: Doctors prescribe Prilosec for 4-8 weeks to treat adults with active stomach ulcers.
• Acid Reflux or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Prilosec is prescribed for 4 weeks to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux such as heartburn in adults and children. It also helps to heal the damage caused by acid reflux in the esophagus called erosive esophagitis.
• Hypersecretory Conditions: The medicine is also prescribed to treat conditions that cause excessive secretion of stomach acids such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, multiple endocrine adenomas, and systemic mastocytosis in adults.

Side effects of Prilosec:

Patients taking the medicine may experience some common side effects, including:

• Stomach pain.
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Gas

Prilosec may also cause serious side effects that require immediate medical attention, including:

• Low magnesium level in the blood, muscle spasms, irregular heartbeat, and seizures.
• Pain in muscles, and joints.
• Diarrhea, stomach pain, blood or mucus in your stool, nausea, vomiting, fever, and weight loss.
• Vitamin B-12 deficiency, weakness, numbness, or tingling of the hands and feet.
• Swelling of the face, tongue, throat, dizziness, and breathing difficulties.
• Kidney problems, little or no urination, and blood in the urine.
• Bone fractures.

How to take Prilosec?

Prilosec is available as10mg, 20mg, and 40mg capsules. Doctors recommend one Prilosec capsule a day orally at least 1 hour before a meal. Patients should swallow the capsule whole without chewing or crushing it. The dose depends on the age and medical condition of the patients.

Patients who have swallowing difficulty may open the capsule, mix the contents into 1 tablespoon of applesauce, and take the mixture with a glass of water.

Prilosec also comes as 2.5mg and 10mg oral suspension. Take oral suspension by emptying the 2.5mg packet in 5mL water or the 10mg packet in 15mL water. Leave the mixture for 2-3 minutes, stir, and drink within 30 minutes.

Prilosec Drug Interactions:

Prilosec may interact with other medications, especially:

• Atazanavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir
• Cilostazol
• Ketoconazole, voriconazole, iron salts, erlotinib, mycophenolate, digoxin
• Diazepam, warfarin, phenytoin
• Cyclosporine, disulfiram, benzodiazepines
• Ampicillin, amoxicillin, clarithromycin
• St. John’s Wort, rifampin
• Clopidogrel
• Tacrolimus
• Methotrexate

Safety Information:

• Do not take Prilosec if you are allergic to any of its ingredients.
• Before you start the medicine, tell your doctor if you have had low magnesium levels, liver or kidney problems, and osteoporosis.
• Long-term use of medicine may lead to bacterial infection, atrophic gastritis, vitamin B-12 deficiency, and osteoporosis-related fractures of the hip or wrist. Patients should take the lowest dose of the medicine for a short time as prescribed by the doctor.
• Talk to your doctor about the safety of Prilosec if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

References:

• https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-77588/prilosec-otc-oral/details
• https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2012/019810s096lbl.pdf