Drug Detail:Omeprazole (Omeprazole)
Drug Class: Proton pump inhibitors
Usual Adult Dose for Duodenal Ulcer
20 mg orally once a day
- Duration of therapy: 4 weeks
Comment: If patients are not fully healed after 4 weeks, treatment may continue for another 4 weeks.
Use: Short-term treatment of active duodenal ulcer
Usual Adult Dose for Helicobacter pylori Infection
Dual therapy: 40 mg orally once a day, taken concomitantly with clarithromycin
- Duration of therapy: 14 days
Triple therapy: 20 mg orally 2 times a day, taken concomitantly with amoxicillin and clarithromycin
- Duration of therapy: 10 days
Comments:
- Patients presenting with an ulcer at the time of treatment should continue treatment with a 20 mg dose orally once a day for 14 days (dual therapy) or 18 days (triple therapy).
- Antibiotic selection should be determined by local bacterial resistance, duration of treatment, and appropriate use.
- Refer to the manufacturer product information for dosing for amoxicillin and/or clarithromycin.
- Patients who failed therapy were more likely to develop clarithromycin resistance when they received dual therapy.
- Susceptibility testing should be performed in patients who fail treatment; alternative antimicrobial therapy should be used when clarithromycin resistance is demonstrated, or susceptibility testing is not possible.
Uses: Helicobacter pylori eradication to reduce the risk of duodenal ulcer recurrence
- TRIPLE THERAPY: In combination with clarithromycin and amoxicillin for the treatment of patients with H pylori infection and active or a history of duodenal ulcer disease (within 1 year) to eradicate H pylori
- DUAL THERAPY: In combination with clarithromycin for the treatment of patients with H pylori infection and duodenal ulcer disease to eradicate H pylori
Usual Adult Dose for Gastric Ulcer
40 mg orally once a day
- Duration of therapy: 4 to 8 weeks
Use: Short-term treatment of active benign gastric ulcer
Usual Adult Dose for Erosive Esophagitis
Treatment: 20 mg orally once a day
- Duration of therapy: 4 to 8 weeks
Maintenance: 20 mg orally once a day
Comments:
- Controlled studies for maintenance therapy did not extend past 12 months.
- Patients who do not respond after 8 weeks of treatment may continue for an additional 4 weeks.
- If there is a recurrence of erosive esophagitis (EE) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms, an additional 4 to 8-week course of treatment should be considered.
Uses:
- Short-term treatment of EE due to acid-mediated GERD that has been diagnosed by endoscopy
- Maintenance of healing of EE due to acid-mediated GERD
Usual Adult Dose for Multiple Endocrine Adenomas
Initial dose: 60 mg orally once a day
Maximum dose: 360 mg/day (as 120 mg orally 3 times a day)
Comments:
- Doses higher than 80 mg should be given in divided doses.
- The treatment duration should be for as long as clinically necessary. Some patients with Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome have been treated for longer than 5 years.
Use: Long-term treatment of pathological hypersecretory conditions (e.g., Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, multiple endocrine adenomas, systemic mastocytosis)
Usual Adult Dose for Systemic Mastocytosis
Initial dose: 60 mg orally once a day
Maximum dose: 360 mg/day (as 120 mg orally 3 times a day)
Comments:
- Doses higher than 80 mg should be given in divided doses.
- The treatment duration should be for as long as clinically necessary. Some patients with Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome have been treated for longer than 5 years.
Use: Long-term treatment of pathological hypersecretory conditions (e.g., Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, multiple endocrine adenomas, systemic mastocytosis)
Usual Adult Dose for Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome
Initial dose: 60 mg orally once a day
Maximum dose: 360 mg/day (as 120 mg orally 3 times a day)
Comments:
- Doses higher than 80 mg should be given in divided doses.
- The treatment duration should be for as long as clinically necessary. Some patients with Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome have been treated for longer than 5 years.
Use: Long-term treatment of pathological hypersecretory conditions (e.g., Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, multiple endocrine adenomas, systemic mastocytosis)
Usual Adult Dose for Hypersecretory Conditions
Initial dose: 60 mg orally once a day
Maximum dose: 360 mg/day (as 120 mg orally 3 times a day)
Comments:
- Doses higher than 80 mg should be given in divided doses.
- The treatment duration should be for as long as clinically necessary. Some patients with Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome have been treated for longer than 5 years.
Use: Long-term treatment of pathological hypersecretory conditions (e.g., Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, multiple endocrine adenomas, systemic mastocytosis)
Usual Adult Dose for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
20 mg orally once a day
- Duration of therapy: Up to 4 weeks
Use: Treatment of heartburn and other symptoms associated with GERD
Usual Adult Dose for Dyspepsia
Over-the-Counter (OTC) formulations: 20 mg orally once a day in the morning
- Duration of therapy: 14 days
Comments:
- A 14-day course of treatment may be repeated every 4 months.
- This drug should be taken with a full glass of water prior to eating.
- Some patients may experience symptom relief within 24 hours of taking the first dose.
Use: Treatment of frequent heartburn (occurring 2 or more days a week)
Usual Pediatric Dose for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
1 to 16 years:
- Weight 5 to less than 10 kg: 5 mg orally once a day
- Weight 10 to less than 20 kg: 10 mg orally once a day
- Weight 20 kg and greater: 20 mg orally once a day
16 to 18 years: 20 mg orally once a day
- Duration of therapy: Up to 4 weeks
Use: Treatment of heartburn and other symptoms associated with GERD
Usual Pediatric Dose for Erosive Esophagitis
TREATMENT:
1 month to less than 1 year:
- Weight 3 to less than 5 kg: 2.5 mg orally once a day
- Weight 5 to less than 10 kg: 5 mg orally once a day
- Weight 10 kg and greater: 10 mg orally once a day
1 to 16 years:
- Weight 5 to less than 10 kg: 5 mg orally once a day
- Weight 10 to less than 20 kg: 10 mg orally once a day
- Weight 20 kg and greater: 20 mg orally once a day
16 to 18 years: 20 mg orally once a day
- Duration of therapy: 4 to 8 weeks
MAINTENANCE:
1 to 16 years:
- Weight 5 to less than 10 kg: 5 mg orally once a day
- Weight 10 to less than 20 kg: 10 mg orally once a day
- Weight 20 kg and greater: 20 mg orally once a day
16 to 18 years: 20 mg orally once a day
Comments:
- Patients who do not respond after 8 weeks of treatment may continue for an additional 4 weeks.
- If there is a recurrence of EE or GERD symptoms, an additional 4 to 8-week course of treatment should be considered.
- Controlled studies for the treatment EE did not extend past 8 weeks, and maintenance studies did not extend beyond 12 months.
Uses:
- Short-term treatment of EE due to acid-mediated GERD that has been diagnosed by endoscopy
- Short-term treatment of EE due to acid-mediated GERD
- Maintenance of healing of EE due to acid-mediated GERD
Renal Dose Adjustments
No adjustment recommended.
Liver Dose Adjustments
Maintenance of healing of EE: 10 mg orally once a day
Dose Adjustments
Maintenance of healing of EE in Asian patients: 10 mg orally once a day
Precautions
CONTRAINDICATIONS:
- Hypersensitivity to the active component, substituted benzimidazoles, or any of the ingredients
- The concomitant use with rilpivirine-containing products
For the treatment of H pylori (as combination therapy): Refer to the contraindications section of the other antibacterial agents for further information.
Safety and efficacy of prescription formulations have not been established in patients younger than 1 month (prescription formulations) or 18 years (OTC formulations).
Consult WARNINGS section for additional precautions.
Dialysis
Data not available
Other Comments
Administration advice:
- Tablet and capsule formulations should be swallowed whole, without crushing/chewing.
- The delayed-release capsule may be opened and sprinkled onto a tablespoon of applesauce and swallowed immediately. Do not chew or crush granules.
- The delayed-release oral suspension may be emptied into a small volume of water, allowed to thicken (approximately 2 to 3 minutes), and swallowed within 30 minutes. Remaining material should be mixed with more water and swallowed immediately.
- The suspension may be mixed with water and administered via nasogastric tube.
Storage requirements: The manufacturer product information should be consulted.
Reconstitution/preparation techniques: The manufacturer product information should be consulted.
IV compatibility: The manufacturer product information should be consulted.
General:
- The IV formulation should be used when oral formulations are inappropriate; IV use should be discontinued as soon as treatment with an oral formulation is possible. A single 10 mg IV dose was shown to be equivalent to a single 20 mg oral tablet dose.
- Antacids may be used concomitantly during treatment.
Monitoring:
- METABOLIC: Magnesium levels, especially in patients taking other drugs that could result in hypomagnesemia or those on long-term therapy; Vitamin B12 levels, especially in patients on long-term therapy
- MUSCULOSKELETAL: Bone fractures, especially in patients at high risk for osteoporosis-related events
Patient advice:
- Patients should be advised that use is not intended for immediate relief. Patients may not experience full effects for up to 4 days.
- If using this drug to treat H pylori, tell patients that it is important to complete the full regimen.
- Instruct patients to seek medical attention if signs/symptoms of hypersensitivity, Clostridium difficile, or systemic cutaneous lupus erythematosus occur.
- Inform patients that this drug may cause drowsiness, dizziness, vertigo, and/or visual disturbances. They should avoid driving or operating machinery until the full effects of the drug are seen.
- Patients should ask their healthcare provider before use if they are taking a prescription drug.
- Advise patients to speak to their healthcare provider if they become pregnant, intend to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
Frequently asked questions
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- Does omeprazole cause cancer?