Esomeprazole 20mg/40mg

Key Points

• This medicine targets symptoms of acid reflux, heartburn and indigestion
• It works to reduce acid production in stomach
• Taken once a day before breakfast

What is Esomeprazole Used For?

Esomeprazole is a medicine used to treat acid reflux, heartburn and indigestion or to prevent stomach ulcers. It is sometimes taken for a rare condition called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Esomeprazole belongs to a drug class called proton pump inhibitors. It is also available as a branded product called Nexium. The full name of the drug is esomeprazole magnesium.

How Does Esomeprazole Work?

Esomeprazole acid reflux tablets work by blocking the action of the proton pump in the stomach. This means that your stomach produces less acid, which is what causes a burning feeling in the chest, or regurgitation when it backs up into the oesophagus.

Esomeprazole Dosage Instructions

The dose of esomeprazole used to treat acid reflux is 20mg once daily. You may take esomeprazole long term if you have chronic acid reflux, however, you will require a prescription from your doctor.

How Do You Take Esomeprazole?

You should take one tablet around 30-60 minutes before breakfast. The best time to take esomeprazole is in the morning. You should sit upright when taking a tablet and swallow it whole with a glass of water. If you are unable to swallow tablets, you can crush the tablet and dissolve it in water.

What Should I Do If I Miss a Dose?

If you miss a dose of esomeprazole, you should take a tablet as soon as you remember. If it is close to the time of your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal regimen. Do not take 2 doses at the same time or extra doses to make up for the missed dose.

How Long Does Esomeprazole Take to Work?

It can take around 2-3 days for the effects of esomeprazole to kick in. However, you should give it around a month for the full effect to be seen. If you do not feel better after 14 days, you should see your doctor.

Esomeprazole Warnings

You must not take esomeprazole tablets if you are:

• Allergic to esomeprazole or any of the other ingredients of this medicine
• Allergic to other proton pump inhibitor medicines, such as pantoprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, omeprazole
• Taking medicine containing nelfinavir (used to treat HIV infection)

If you’re unsure if any of these apply to you, it’s important that you seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.
When Should I See My Doctor?

You should see your doctor if:

• You develop signs of an allergic reaction such as hives, red, swollen, peeling skin with or without fever, wheezing, tightness in the chest
• You experience any unwanted side effects
• You have heartburn most days or you do not feel better after 14 days
• You experience unwanted weight loss
• You have other alarming symptoms like being sick, food getting stuck in your throat, blood in your stool, and bad stomach pain
• You have severe or persistent diarrhoea; esomeprazole has been associated with a small increased risk of infectious diarrhoea
• If you get a rash on your skin, especially in areas exposed to the sun, tell your doctor as soon as you can, as you may need to stop your treatment with esomeprazole tablets
• Any other ill-effects like pain in your joints
• You have osteoporosis or if you are taking corticosteroids (which can increase the risk of osteoporosis)

Esomeprazole Interactions

Can I Take Esomeprazole with Other Medications?

Esomeprazole is safe to take with most medication. It can affect the way some medicines work, and some medicines can alter the way in which esomeprazole tablets work.

If you are taking any of the following, you should consult your doctor first before taking esomeprazole:

• HIV medication
• Blood clot medication
• Medication to treat infections caused by fungus
• Cancer medication
• Depression medication
• Epilepsy and anxiety medication
• Blood thinning medicines
• Intermittent claudication medicine
• Indigestion and heartburn medicine
• Medicines for heart problems
• Chemotherapy medicine
• Organ transplantation medication
• Treatment for tuberculosis
• St John’s wort

Can I Take Esomeprazole and Buscopan Together?

Esomeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) that reduces stomach acid production, treating conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and ulcers, while Buscopan is an antispasmodic which relieves abdominal pain and discomfort in the intestines, stomach and urinary tract. The two medications work in different ways and for different conditions therefore they can typically be taken together, however, you should always seek advice directly from your GP or pharmacist before combining different medications.

Esomeprazole Alternatives

Esomeprazole vs Omeprazole

• Esomeprazole is a more refined version of omeprazole that contains only the active isomer and is thought to provide a more sustained acid suppression.
• Omeprazole tends to be used as a first-line treatment, an effective alternative to esomeprazole in treating GERD, peptic ulcers, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
• Esomeprazole is effective in treating severe gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and erosive esophagitis, due to its ability to maintain higher levels of acid suppression over time
• Esomeprazole is generally more expensive than omeprazole

Esomeprazole vs Lansoprazole

• Both proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) used to reduce stomach acid production
• Esomeprazole generally has a longer half-life than Lansoprazole, meaning it stays in the system longer.
• Both medicines are effective in treating acid-related conditions with similar side effects
• Response to treatment, side effects and interactions should be considered when choosing between the two medicines

Preventions

When stomach acid flows back up into the esophagus it causes acid reflux. You can prevent this by making lifestyle changes, including:

• Cutting out food triggers – fatty, fried or spicy foods, citrus fruits, tomatoes, chocolate, garlic, onions, caffeine, alcohol, and mint
• Eat well – choose smaller, more frequent meals, chew food slowly and eat at least 1-2 hours before you lie down. Do not lie down or recline immediately after eating to prevent acid from moving back up into the esophagus
• Exercise – excess weight puts pressure on the stomach and lower esophageal sphincter (LES)
• Quit smoking – it weakens the LES and increases acid production in the stomach
• Manage stress levels – reflux symptoms can worsen because of stressors

Esomeprazole Ingredients

Active ingredient: Esomeprazole magnesium dihydrate

Inactive ingredients: Methacrylic acid-ethyl acrylate copolymer (1:1), talc, triethyl citrate, hypromellose, sugar spheres, magnesium stearate, hydroxypropyl cellulose, glycerol monostearate 40-55, polysorbate 80, microcrystalline cellulose, povidone, macrogol 6000, crospovidone, sodium stearyl fumarate