Q. Is esomeprazole a controlled substance?
Esomeprazole is not a controlled substance. It is available when prescribed by a doctor.
Q. Is esomeprazole safe?
Yes, esomeprazole is safe if taken for prescribed duration in prescribed doses as advised by your doctor.
Q. Does esomeprazole cause weight loss?
Tell your doctor if you experience weight loss with esomeprazole as it may cause damage to your stomach lining on a long term use and weight loss could be an indication of the same.
Q. Does esomeprazole cause hair loss?
Hair loss has been reported as a rare side effect of esomeprazole. Please consult your doctor in case you experience excessive hair fall while you are taking esomeprazole.
Q. Why is esomeprazole better than omeprazole?
Esomeprazole is the S-isomer of omeprazole. Isomers are compounds which have the same molecular formula but different chemical structures. Studies have shown that esomeprazole provides more effective acid control than omeprazole, without any increase in side effects. Furthermore, esomeprazole has a rapid onset of action than omeprazole and less inter-individual variation in acid control.
Q. Does esomeprazole cause palpitations (feeling of rapid, strong heart beat)?
Esomeprazole can lower the magnesium levels in your body and this can cause palpitations. You must get your magnesium levels checked regularly if you are asked to use this medicine for more than three months.
Q. Can a patient undergoing dialysis take esomeprazole?
Esomeprazole can be taken by a patient undergoing dialysis in a manner as prescribed by the doctor. Since esomeprazole is extensively protein bound, it is not expected to be removed by dialysis.
Q. Can esomeprazole be given in the pediatric age group?
The safety and effectiveness of esomeprazole have been established in pediatric patients 1 to 17 years of age for short-term treatment (up to eight weeks) of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). The safety and effectiveness of esomeprazole have been established in pediatric patients 1 month to less than 1 year for short-term treatment (up to 6 weeks) of erosive esophagitis due to acid-mediated GERD. However, the safety and effectiveness of esomeprazole have not been established in patients less than 1 month of age.
Q. Is esomeprazole better than rabeprazole?
The superiority of either esomeprazole or rabeprazole over the other is not clearly defined. One study mentions that rabeprazole (40 mg) is a better choice for mild-to-moderate Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) compared with esomeprazole (40 mg) because of its better efficacy and safety profile. Another study mentions that esomeprazole 40 mg provides a more effective and faster acid-inhibitory effect than rabeprazole 20 mg. Also, there are studies which mention that esomeprazole and rabeprazole both are better than the other medicines of the same class (i.e proton pump inhibitors).
Q. Is esomeprazole better than ranitidine?
Esomeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). It lowers the amount of acid in your stomach, treats heartburn, and heals ulcers. Ranitidine is an H2 blocker. It blocks the chemical histamine, which lowers acid production in your stomach. This treats heartburn and helps ulcers heal. There are not many studies which compare esomeprazole with ranitidine. However, one study mentions that esomeprazole 40 and 20 mg once daily are effective and well-tolerated therapies compared with ranitidine 150 mg twice daily for healing gastric ulcers.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with domperidone?
Domperidone is an anti-emetic which can stop you feeling sick. There are no reported drug interactions or harmful effects of using esomeprazole with domperidone. Domperidone can be taken with esomeprazole. Esomeprazole is also available in combination with domperidone.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with clopidogrel?
Esomeprazole decreases effects of clopidogrel by affecting the metabolism of clopidogrel. Avoid using both drugs together or use an alternate drug.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with levosulpiride?
Esomeprazole can be taken with levosulpiride. Esomeprazole decreases the acid secretion and levosulpiride increases the intestinal motility. It is safe to use the two medicines together. Esomeprazole is also available as a fixed-dose combination with levosulpiride. This combination helps in the treatment of heartburn, stomach and duodenal ulcers and gastritis.
Q. Is esomeprazole an antacid?
Esomeprazole belongs to the class of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) which decrease the amount of acid produced in the stomach. It is not an antacid as it does not neutralize the stomach acid by coating the stomach.
Q. Is esomeprazole better than omeprazole or lansoprazole or pantoprazole?
Esomeprazole, omeprazole, lansoprazole and pantoprazole belongs to the same class of medicines with similar action, but their effect may vary upon individual response. Always follow doctor's advice regarding its use.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with paracetamol (acetaminophen)?
It is safe to take esomeprazole with paracetamol (acetaminophen) as no drug-drug interactions have been reported. However, this does not mean that no interactions exist. Please consult your doctor while taking the two medicines together.
Q. Does esomeprazole cause tinnitus?
Tinnitus has been reported as a rare side effect with esomeprazole (<1% patients taking esomeprazole). Please consult your doctor if you experience tinnitus while taking esomeprazole.
Q. Does esomeprazole has an expiry date?
Yes, esomeprazole does expire. Please check the expiry date written on the pack and it refers to the last day of that month. Do not use esomeprazole after the expiry date.
Q. Is esomeprazole an antibiotic?
No, esomeprazole is not an antibiotic.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with nitrofurantoin?
Esomeprazole can be taken with nitrofurantoin. No drug-drug interactions have been reported between the two. However, this does not mean that interactions cannot occur. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with ranitidine?
Yes, esomeprazole can be taken with ranitidine. No drug-drug interactions have been seen between the two. However, this does not mean that interactions cannot occur. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with ibuprofen?
Esomeprazole can be taken with ibuprofen. No drug-drug interactions have been reported between the two. However, this does not mean that interactions cannot occur. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with hyoscine?
Esomeprazole can be taken with hyoscine. No drug-drug interactions have been reported between the two. However, this does not mean that interactions cannot occur. Please consult your doctor before taking the two medicines together.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with food?
Esomeprazole should preferably be taken one hour before meals.
Q. Does esomeprazole cause tiredness?
Tiredness is a rare side effect of esomeprazole. Please consult your doctor if you experience excessive tiredness as this may be due to underlying liver abnormalities as esomeprazole breaks down in the liver.
Q. Does esomeprazole cause weight gain?
Weight gain has not be reported to occur with esomeprazole.
Q. Does esomeprazole affect birth control?
Esomeprazole does not seem to affect birth control, as no drug interactions have been reported between esomeprazole and oral birth control pills. It is safe to take the two medications together.
Q. Why is esomeprazole enteric coated?
Esomeprazole is enteric coated to avoid its breakdown by stomach acids and it can reach the intestine and gets absorbed there. Also, the enteric-coated tablets should not be broken or crushed before swallowing.
Q. Can a patient with underlying cardiac disease take esomeprazole?
Patients with the underlying cardiac disease can take esomeprazole. However, esomeprazole can interact with certain drugs (e.g clopidogrel, digoxin) which might be used by a patient with the underlying cardiac disease. Patients taking esomeprazole and digoxin may need to be monitored for digoxin toxicity. Esomeprazole decreases the activation of clopidogrel, thus reducing its effects. Patients taking these medicines together needs to be monitored regularly.
Q. Can esomeprazole be given in cancer patients?
Esomeprazole can be taken by cancer patients in a manner as prescribed by the doctor. There are certain studies which have shown that esomeprazole enhanced the antitumor effect of chemotherapy medicines with no added side effects. However, esomeprazole has not been approved for this condition yet. Since cancer patients may also take many other medicines for the primary cancer treatment or for other symptoms and infections, there are chances of drug interactions with esomeprazole. The use of esomeprazole with other drugs should be monitored.
Q. How much time does esomeprazole take to show its effect?
The onset of action of esomeprazole is within 3 hours and lasts for a duration of up to 24 hours.
Q. How is esomeprazole different from pantoprazole?
Esomeprazole and pantoprazole are found to be equally effective in the treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). One study mentions treatment with pantoprazole resulted in significantly faster first-time relief from daytime and night-time GERD-related symptoms than esomeprazole.
Q. Is esomeprazole more effective than lansoprazole?
Yes, esomeprazole is seen to achieve a better acid control and being more effective in rapid relief of heartburn symptoms and acid reflux symptoms as compared to lansoprazole in many research studies. Also, healing rates were consistently high with esomeprazole.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with sodium bicarbonate as a buffer?
Sodium bicarbonate buffer protects against acid degradation of esomeprazole in addition to immediate antacid action. Esomeprazole can be taken with sodium bicarbonate as a buffer only in a manner as prescribed by the doctor.
Q. Can I take esomeprazole with naproxen?
Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which works by reducing inflammation and pain in the body. There are no reported drug interactions or harmful effects of using esomeprazole with naproxen. Esomeprazole and naproxen can be taken together.
Q. Is esomeprazole a narcotic?
Esomeprazole is not a narcotic. It belongs to the class of proton pump inhibitors.
Rs. 112pay 26% more per capsule
