Esomeprazole to reduce stomach acid

About esomeprazole

Acid is produced naturally in your stomach to help you digest food and to kill germs (bacteria). This acid is irritant so your body produces a natural mucous barrier which protects the lining of your stomach. In people who take painkillers called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), this barrier can break down, allowing the acid to damage the stomach, causing inflammation, ulcers and other conditions. Other people can have a problem with the muscular band at the top of the stomach that keeps the stomach tightly closed. This may allow the acid to escape and irritate the oesophagus, causing heartburn. This is often referred to as 'acid reflux'.

Proton pump inhibitors such as esomeprazole stop cells in the lining of the stomach from producing too much acid. This helps to prevent ulcers from forming, or assists the healing process where damage has already occurred. By decreasing the amount of acid, they can also help to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux disease, such as heartburn.

Esomeprazole is available on prescription and can be bought from pharmacies and other retail outlets for the relief of reflux symptoms.

Esomeprazole is also used as one part of a treatment to get rid of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium found in the stomach, which can cause ulcers.

Before taking esomeprazole

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking esomeprazole it is important that your doctor or pharmacist knows:

• Wenn Sie schwanger sind, ein Kind erwarten oder stillen.

• Wenn Sie Probleme mit der Funktionsweise Ihrer Leber oder Ihrer Nieren haben.

• If you have any of the following symptoms: difficulty swallowing, loss of blood, weight loss, or if you are being sick (vomiting).

• Wenn Sie schon einmal eine allergische Reaktion auf ein Arzneimittel hatten.

• Wenn Sie andere Arzneimittel einnehmen. Dazu gehören alle Arzneimittel, die Sie einnehmen und die rezeptfrei erhältlich sind, sowie pflanzliche und ergänzende Arzneimittel.

How to take esomeprazole

• Before you start this treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about esomeprazole and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take esomeprazole exactly as your doctor tells you to. There are different strengths of tablets and capsules available so your doctor will tell you which is right for you. It is common to take just one dose a day, although if you are taking it for either Helicobacter pylori eradication or for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, you will be asked to take two doses a day. Your doctor will tell you which dose is right for you and the directions will also be on the label of the pack to remind you.

• It is important that you don't chew esomeprazole before you swallow. The tablets, capsules and granules (in the sachets) are all manufactured with a special coating which must not be crushed. If you have difficulties swallowing, you can stir the tablets into a glass of water to make swallowing easier. The capsules likewise can be opened up and the contents mixed into water to make swallowing easier. If you make up your doses in this way, make sure that you drink the mixture within 30 minutes of making it. If you have been given sachets, pour the contents of each sachet into 15 ml of water. Stir the liquid and then leave it to thicken for a minute or so before stirring it again. Then swallow the liquid, rinse out the glass with a little more water, and then swallow this water too.

• You can take esomeprazole before or after food.

• Wenn Sie vergessen haben, eine Dosis zur gewohnten Zeit einzunehmen, können Sie sie einnehmen, wenn Sie sich daran erinnern (es sei denn, es ist fast Zeit für die nächste Dosis; in diesem Fall lassen Sie die vergessene Dosis aus). Nehmen Sie nicht zwei Dosen zusammen ein, um eine vergessene Dosis nachzuholen.

Das Beste aus Ihrer Behandlung herausholen

• Try to keep your regular appointments with your doctor. This is so your progress can be checked. If you are taking esomeprazole on a long-term basis your doctor will want to review your treatment at least once a year to make sure it is still right for you.

• Some foods may make your symptoms worse. Foods and drinks that have been suspected of this include peppermint, tomatoes, chocolate, spicy foods, hot drinks, coffee, and alcoholic drinks. If it seems that a food is aggravating your symptoms, try avoiding it for a while to see if your symptoms improve. Also, try avoiding eating large meals, as these can make your symptoms worse too.

• Wenn Sie übergewichtig sind, übt dies zusätzlichen Druck auf Ihren Magen aus und begünstigt die Symptome von saurem Reflux. Eine Gewichtsabnahme und eine gesunde, ausgewogene Ernährung können Ihnen helfen.

• Rauchen erhöht die vom Magen produzierte Säuremenge und kann Ihre Symptome verschlimmern. Wenn Sie Raucher sind, sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Arzt oder Apotheker darüber, wie Sie mit dem Rauchen aufhören können.

• Recent studies suggest that there may be a slight increase in the risk of bone fractures when proton pump inhibitors like esomeprazole are taken for longer than a year. If this affects you, your doctor will check that you are taking enough vitamin D and calcium to reduce this risk.

• Wenn Sie rezeptfreie Arzneimittel kaufen, sollten Sie sich immer bei einem Apotheker vergewissern, dass Sie diese zusammen mit Ihren anderen Arzneimitteln einnehmen können.

Can esomeprazole cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with esomeprazole. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Important: long-term use of esomeprazole (for at least three months) may lead to low levels of magnesium in your blood. Initial signs this might be happening include feeling tired, dizzy or confused and an irregular heartbeat (palpitations). Let your doctor know if you think this applies to you

Wenn Sie andere Symptome haben, von denen Sie glauben, dass sie auf das Arzneimittel zurückzuführen sind, sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Arzt oder Apotheker, um weiteren Rat zu erhalten.

How to store esomeprazole

• Bewahren Sie alle Arzneimittel außerhalb der Reichweite und Sichtweite von Kindern auf.

• An einem kühlen, trockenen Ort aufbewahren, vor direkter Hitze und Licht schützen.
  

Wichtige Informationen über alle Arzneimittel