Experts recommend taking Omeprazole for heartburn in adult patients suffering from chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This inexpensive, domestically produced drug helps quickly eliminate an unpleasant symptom by reducing the acidity of gastric juice. The medicine belongs to the category of antisecretory agents used in the fight against erosive and ulcerative lesions of the stomach and other pathologies of the upper gastrointestinal tract. According to its pharmacological action, Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor. Its use allows not only to get rid of heartburn, but also to eliminate other symptoms that arise from acute and chronic diseases of the digestive system.
Omeprazole for heartburn relief
You can find many products containing this substance in the pharmacy. Among the most popular are Omez, Hasek, Lorsek, Loseprazole, Omeprazole. The differences between the drugs are in cost, dosage of the main component, auxiliary composition, and manufacturer. But all these medications are equally effective, therefore, when drinking Omeprazole for heartburn, a person quickly feels relief.
The drug is equally effective for burning in the esophagus of different etiologies. The therapy is generally well tolerated with minimal side effects. The relatively small list of contraindications is also attractive.
Contraindications
The use of the drug is prohibited in case of high sensitivity to omeprazole or formative components. Use is also contraindicated if the patient has an allergy to substituted benzimidazoles. Should not be combined with atazanovir and nelfinavir. The doctor prescribing Omeprazole should be informed about all medications that are currently being taken.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
There are no data on harm to a pregnant woman or fetus. The drug is approved for use during pregnancy if taken under the supervision of a physician. The active ingredient passes into breast milk, but the effect on the baby is unknown, therefore it is not recommended to use Omeprazole during breastfeeding.
Pharmacodynamics
Taking Omez for heartburn, a person quickly experiences relief. When entering the stomach, the active component of the drug inhibits the transport of ions necessary for the synthesis of hydrochloric acid (chlorine and hydrogen). Against this background, acidity decreases.
In addition to this property, capsules and tablets have an enveloping and antibacterial effect. Thus, the drug inhibits the activity of Helicobacter - bacteria that can survive in the stomach and provoke the development of gastritis and ulcers.
Enveloping properties ensure rapid healing of the mucous membrane, which is important for ulcerative, erosive forms of reflux esophagitis, stomach and duodenal ulcers.
Due to these properties, not only does heartburn quickly go away, but the mucous membrane lining the esophagus, stomach, and intestines is also more quickly restored. This allows us to recommend the drug for various gastrointestinal pathologies, as well as pancreatitis.
Indications for use
Omez helps eliminate heartburn, as one of the symptoms of various gastrointestinal diseases, and is prescribed for both acute and chronic ailments.
The main ones are:
- stomach and duodenal ulcers - for treatment during exacerbations and to prevent relapses;
- GERD - gastroesophageal reflux disease;
- pancreatic adenoma;
- pancreatitis;
- different types of gastritis;
- other inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract.
Omez can be used after poisoning or intoxication of the body for a short period to eliminate heartburn and other unpleasant symptoms.
Recommendations for use
Each package of the medicine contains detailed instructions, indicating how to take it. But in each specific case, the dosage, as well as the treatment regimen, its duration must be selected individually for each patient.
How to take omeprazole medications
The standard regimen is to take the medication twice a day. It is recommended to drink it half an hour before meals, the best option is before breakfast and before dinner. The standard single dosage is 40 mg, in some cases it can be increased to 120 mg, but this is decided only by the doctor.
The course lasts from a week to two months, it depends on the type, severity, dynamics of the disease.
For general disorders in the gastrointestinal tract, it is recommended to take a drug to prevent heartburn for at least a week. To relieve discomfort caused by pathologies other than the digestive system, the medicine is prescribed for a maximum of 14 days. Therapy for peptic ulcer disease lasts from 30 days, treatment of other conditions – up to two months.
To prevent complications or if side effects occur from taking NSAIDs or some hormonal drugs, the duration of therapy with omeprazole should not be more than 21 days, and the dosage of the drug is reduced to 20 mg.
List of contraindications and side effects
Omeprazole has a rather gentle effect on the body, but there are certain contraindications to it. Thus, it is not prescribed in the first trimester of pregnancy and during breastfeeding; the drug is contraindicated in children under 16 years of age.
Other contraindications include:
- hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
- gastritis with low acidity;
- atrophic gastritis;
- malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract;
- lack of calcium in the body;
- infectious intestinal diseases;
- disruption of the kidneys and liver.
Therapy is usually well tolerated, and negative effects are rare. This is mainly due to violation of the recommendations for admission or to the individual characteristics of the patient.
The most common side effects are constipation or diarrhea, flatulence, dry mouth. Less commonly, a person may experience nausea, vomiting or pain in the epigastric area.
The least common reaction is liver dysfunction with the development of obstructive jaundice, muscle and joint pain, changes in blood composition, swelling of the extremities, urticaria or another type of allergy, and visual acuity disturbances.
Interaction with drugs and release form
Omeprazole may interact with other drugs. Due to the inhibition of gastric secretions, it may reduce the absorption of caffeine, lidocaine, theophylline, diclofenac and metopropol, and also slow down the release of diazepam. The combination of omeprazole with clarithromycin and amoxicillin leads to an increase in their therapeutic effect.
In most patients, Omeprazole does not affect the ability to drive or perform work that requires concentration. The only exceptions are situations when it causes dizziness, drowsiness or blurred vision. Patients in whom the drug taken leads to the development of such adverse reactions should refrain from driving and working at potentially hazardous objects for the entire duration of its use.
Omeprazole is intended for over-the-counter sale. This product belongs to the category of inexpensive drugs. Its average cost is about 30 rubles for 30 capsules. Omeprazole is represented on the pharmaceutical market by a large number of structural analogues. You can replace this drug with Lorsek, Loseprazole, Losid, Omez, Omep, Omealox, Ornatol, Ultop, etc. The listed drugs are also widely used in the fight against heartburn, but they are more expensive than Omeprazole. The most affordable analogue of the drug is Omez. Its price starts from 142 rubles for 30 capsules.
Omeprazole does not require special storage conditions. It is recommended to keep the capsules at a temperature no higher than +25 °C in their original packaging. The drug is suitable for use for 3 years from the date of production.
Analogs
The pharmaceutical industry produces many products that contain omeprazole. In addition to medicines with the same name and the drugs listed at the beginning of the article, you can purchase in pharmacies:
- Omecaps;
- Omephesis;
- Sopral;
- Romesek;
- Helicide;
- Cisagast;
- Ultop and so on.
Each of these remedies will be effective for heartburn both with single and course use. Which drug to purchase depends on the person’s personal preferences and capabilities, recommended dosage, release form, and so on.
Mechanism of action for heartburn
Whether Omeprazole will help with heartburn depends on what triggered the symptom. By inhibiting H+-ATPase, omeprazole prevents the secretion of excess hydrochloric acid and thus reduces the acidity level of gastric contents.
If heartburn and sour belching are caused by increased acidity, Omeprazole will be effective. And although the drug is effective even against stimulated secretion, compliance with the diet will be necessary. Otherwise, the medicine will only temporarily eliminate the symptom, and with the immediate influence of an irritant - caffeine, nicotine, fatty foods - heartburn will return again.
During long-term use of Omeprazole, the risk of the formation of benign cysts in the stomach increases. After finishing the treatment, they disappear on their own and do not require additional treatment. The risk of gastrointestinal tract infections also increases, since it is stomach acid that usually protects against them, the level of which Omeprazole reduces.
In case of reflux esophagitis, the drug is associated with weakening of the signs of pathology and healing of the mucous membranes of the esophagus in more than 89% of cases. Omeprazole is also highly effective in the treatment of chronic and complicated forms of esophagitis, peptic ulcers, erosions, and gastritis. Has bactericidal activity against Helicobacter.
After oral administration, the drug is quickly absorbed, inhibits the secretion of hydrochloric acid for an hour and retains the effect until the end of the day. The ability to produce hydrochloric acid returns within a week after the end of the course of therapy.
Overdose
Omeprazole is not considered a toxic drug. Taking the drug in an amount of 18 (20 mg) capsules per day does not cause poisoning. But patients with liver and kidney failure have a completely different reaction of the body. It can cause poisoning in them after taking it in a therapeutic dose. Therefore, such patients need to monitor liver function tests and creatinine levels.
The first signs of poisoning are headache, dizziness, and blurred vision. In case of poisoning, symptoms of confusion, dry mouth, and drowsiness are observed. Treatment of overdose is symptomatic. There are no specific antidotes.
How to take the drug
Before prescribing the medication, the doctor prescribes an examination for the patient to exclude or identify pathologies for which Omeprazole is not recommended. Such diseases include intestinal infection and malignant tumor.
The medication is taken twice a day, before meals. In the morning it is permissible to take it with food. You need to know how long you can take the medicine and in what dosage the medicine is acceptable for pathology. These indicators are determined by the attending physician. Often the course lasts from two weeks to two months.
As a prevention of burning sensation, the drug is prescribed 20 mg in the morning and evening before meals. The duration of use depends on the reasons that provoked the symptom:
- Heartburn was caused by a temporary disruption of the functioning of the digestive organs - the course of treatment is from 5 to 7 days.
- The symptom is not caused by pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract - from 10 days to two weeks.
- Heartburn is caused by a stomach ulcer - the medicine is taken for up to a month.
- The form of the disease is severe - the period of admission is increased to three months.
The daily dosage is prescribed by the doctor, based on the severity of the pathology. Constantly taking medicine against heartburn due to poor diet is not recommended by experts. With a long course of treatment, the dosage is reduced gradually, as the drug is addictive.
Daily dose of the drug for diseases:
- For ulcers, no more than 20 mg per day, for prevention 10 mg.
- Dyspeptic syndrome 10-20 mg.
Capsules cannot be divided and cannot be chewed. Take the required dose with a small amount of water.
If the patient is in serious condition, in intensive care, Omeprazole is administered into the stomach through a catheter.
Side effects
The drug can affect many body systems individually or provoke disorders in several at once:
- digestive system – nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea;
- muscular – muscle pain, lethargy, adynamia;
- nervous system – increased drowsiness, irritability;
- genitourinary system – decreased amount of urine.
Occasional increases in temperature and manifestations of allergic reactions (Quincke's edema, urticaria) may also occur.
Combination with other medications
Omeprazole changes the acidity of the gastric environment, and therefore its use may affect the effect of other drugs that depend on a certain level of acidity. Such drugs include Ketoconazole, Itraconazole, Ampicillin. In addition, Omeprazole stimulates an increase in the concentration of certain drugs in the blood (Warfarin, Diazepam, Phenytoin) and slows down the removal of tranquilizers from the body. Enhances the effect of anticoagulants and anticonvulsants. Compatible with another type of anti-ulcer drugs - anatacids.
