Pantoprazole vs Nexium - Which Is Better To Treat Acid Reflux Disease?

Pantoprazole

It is a prescription drug that is available as the brand-name drug Protonix. This drug is a proton pump inhibitor that inhibits gastric acid secretion. By reducing the production of acid, it allows the esophagus and stomach to heal.

US Food and Drug Administration approved it in February 2000. It is available in an injectable form (that may be given directly into a vein by a doctor in a hospital) as well as in an oral suspension or delayed-release tablet form. It is typically taken twice a day, without or with food.

Uses

This medicine is used to treat painful symptoms caused by conditions, like – gastroesophageal reflux disease, a common disorder with a high incidence rate of 10 percent to 40 percent in the American population occurring at least once every seven days.

Moreover, it is used along with antibiotics to treat stomach ulcers which are caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. If you use this medicine, a usual course of treatment for H. pylori bacteria eradication lasts for up to 14 days.

Protonix is also used to treat Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a serious condition where the stomach produces too much acid.

Side Effects And Precautious Of Protonix

Side effects may include:

vomiting;
unexplained weight loss;
troubled breathing;
sweating;
nausea;
increased urination;
increased thirst;
fruit-like breath odor;
dry skin and mouth;
blurred vision;
stomach pain.

Patients who use this medicine are more likely to fracture their hips, wrists, or spine than individuals who do not take it. The risk is highest in individuals who take it for one year or longer or take high doses of this medicine. Also, tell your healthcare professional if you are taking corticosteroids (a class of steroid hormones), which also may increase the risk of fractures.

This medication may interact with nelfinavir, atazanavir, blood thinners, ampicillin, diuretics (water pills), digoxin, iron supplements, methotrexate, or ketoconazole.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a painful condition in which the backward flow of acid from the stomach causes injury of the esophagus and heartburn. The problem is that heartburn is sometimes confused with the first signs and symptoms of a heart attack. If you have chest pain spreading to the shoulder or arm, sweating, nausea, and a general ill feeling, seek emergency medical attention.

Nexium

It contains a medicine called esomeprazole which belongs to a group of medicines with the medical term of – proton pump inhibitors. This type of drug decreases the amount of acid produced in the stomach.

It is available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein by a doctor in a hospital. Also, it is available as packets for preparation of delayed-release oral suspensions or as delayed-release capsules. If you are taking this drug without a prescription, it may take up to 4 days for it to adequately relieve acid reflux symptoms.

Uses

This medicine is used for the treatment of conditions that are caused by stomach acid, like – gastroesophageal reflux disease, duodenal and stomach ulcers, and the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Moreover, it is used to prevent ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Side Effects And Precautions Of Esomeprazole

Side effects may include:

fractures;
blood disorders;
stomach pain;
pancreatitis;
nausea, digestive distress;
headaches;
allergic reactions. Symptoms include – hives, rash, difficulty breathing, itching, swelling of the mouth, tightness in the chest, swelling of the lips, swelling of the tongue, or unusual hoarseness.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking corticosteroids or if you have osteoporosis since taking medicine (particularly over a period of more than 12 months) may slightly increase the risk of fracture in the wrist, hip, or spine.

This medicine may also increase the risk of getting severe diarrhea due to an infection in your intestines with a bacterium, called – Clostridium difficile.

It may be used by individuals who are taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Also, since the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may lead to stomach ulcers, esomeprazole helps prevent their formation.

Notes – statistically, this medicine has a considerable but clinically modest overall benefit in esophageal healing, according to a 2006 meta-analysis.

Many sufferers who use this type of medicine (proton pump inhibitors) for their gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms are using the companies that produce these medicines after suffering kidney injuries.

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