Esomeprazole is a medication knows as proton pump inhibitors, which is being used to treat GERD, indigestion, heartburn, and stomach pain, gastric, and peptic ulcers. Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) are germs found in the stomach, which causes ulcers and soreness in our stomach. Esomeprazole actually kills those germs.
Uses
- Esomeprazole is being used to treat Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Esomeprazole is being used to treat erosive and healing of esophagitis
- Esomeprazole is being used to treat heartburn, acidity, gas trouble, and general stomach pain
- Esomeprazole is being used to treat duodenal and gastric ulcer
- Esomeprazole is combined with clarithromycin to treat eradication of H.pylori and duodenal ulcer
- Esomeprazole is being used to treat H.pylori
According to webmd.com 2/3 of the population has H.pylori germs but they are not harmful to everyone. In some cases, these germs cause ulcers and stomach acidity. You may think spicy food and stress can cause stomach acidity but it’s not. When H.pylori was discovered in 1982, we actually came to know that stomach acidity and the ulcer was caused by H.pylori germs, not those spicy and bad foods. You need to take esomeprazole one capsule daily for 7-14 days to get rid of H.pylori.
Dosage
- For GERD use 20-40mg esomeprazole once daily for 28-56 days
- For healing of erosive esophagitis use esomeprazole 20mg once daily for 14 days
- For H.pylori and duodenal ulcer use, esomeprazole 20mg-40mg with clarithromycin and amoxicillin once daily for 14 days
Before taking esomeprazole tell your doctor if you have symptoms of heart attack, liver disease, osteopenia, lupus, low magnesium or you are allergic to esomeprazole.
Side Effects of Esomeprazole
Apart from its uses, it also affects the body in many ways which includes
Cardiovascular: Long term use of esomeprazole leads to hypertension, tachycardia, and flushing.
Body as a whole: Esomeprazole causes abdomen enlarged, asthenia, allergic reaction, chest pain, hot flushes, facial edema, fatigue, leg edema, tachycardia, fever, and malaise, etc.
Gastrointestinal: It creates irregular bowels in intestines, causes constipation aggravated, dysphagia, epigastric pain, eructation, frequent stools, esophageal disorder, GI hemorrhage, mouth and tongue disorder, and vomiting, etc.
Hearing: It also causes earache and tinnitus etc.
Nervous system: Esomeprazole also affects the nervous system in many ways like anorexia, appetite increased, depression, confusion, dizziness, nervousness, migraine, sleep disorder, tremor, visual field defect, and insomnia, etc.
Metabolic and Nutrition: It affects glycosuria, hyponatremia, B12 deficiency, weight increased and or decreased in some cases.
Skin and Appendages: Dermatitis, acne, pruritus, rashes, skin inflammation, increased sweating, urticaria, and angioedema, etc.
Reproductive: It also causes the menstrual disorder, dysmenorrhea, and vaginitis, etc
Special Senses: On the senses, it may cause otitis media, taste loss, parosmia, and taste perversion, etc.
Urogenital: It also causes abnormal urination, cystitis, fungal infection, hematuria, moniliasis, genital moniliasis, and polyuria, etc
Respiratory: In the respiratory tract it causes asthma aggravated, dyspnea, coughing, edema, rhinitis, and sinusitis, etc.
Hematologic: Esomeprazole causes anemia, epistaxis, cervical lymphadenopathy, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia, etc.
Side effects on the musculoskeletal: It causes arthralgia, cramps, hemia, polymyalgia arthropathy, etc.
Hepatic: abnormal hepatic function, bilirubinemia, SGOT, and SGPT increased in some cases.
Contraindications
Esomeprazole is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to components of benzimidazoles.
Pregnancy and Lactation
Research has been done on rats and rabbits. In rats 280mg/kg/day for 57 days while in rabbits 86mg/kg/day for 35 days showed no evidence of harm to the fetus due to using esomeprazole. Secondly, we cannot predict from animal reproductive studies to give esomeprazole to pregnant and lactation mothers. Women who used esomeprazole during pregnancy have shown congenital abnormalities occurring in infants. Therefore consult your physician before taking esomeprazole in pregnancy and lactation.