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Omeprazole Magnesium and Omeprazole
Introduction
With over 60 million people in the US experiencing heartburn on a regular basis, it’s clear that researchers are on the look for a medicine that can treat reflux disease. Some of the most common risk factors for heartburn include smoking and being overweight. Heartburn occurs when the sphincter muscle allows stomach acid to flood the esophagus, causing irritation and discomfort.
The most common medications for treating heartburn include Omeprazole, Magnesium, and Omeprazole. Both drugs belong to a family of medicines known as proton pump inhibitors and can relieve many symptoms of acid reflux, such as difficulty swallowing and cough, and allow the stomach to heal acid damage. Let’s take a look at the similarities and differences between both medicines.
About Omeprazole Magnesium and Omeprazole
What is Omeprazole Magnesium?
Omeprazole magnesium is a proton pump inhibitor that reduces the amount of acid produced by the stomach. This process can relieve symptoms of heartburn, such as nausea, hoarseness, and difficulty swallowing. Omeprazole magnesium is also used for treating peptic ulcer disease and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Omeprazole magnesium suppresses acid secretion by inhibiting the H+/K+-ATPase system within the gastric mucosa. The medicine is usually taken once a day after waking up in the morning. Omeprazole magnesium is available both over-the-counter (OTC) and with a doctor’s prescription.
What conditions is Omeprazole Magnesium approved to treat?
Omeprazole magnesium lowers the acidity levels of the stomach. This means it can treat acid reflux, heartburn, indigestion, stomach ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and similar conditions.
How does Omeprazole Magnesium work for Acid Reflux?
Omeprazole magnesium works by blocking the production of acid in the stomach’s parietal cell. They inhibit the hydrogen-potassium ATPase pump and help reduce the acid-reflux-related symptoms. The effects of omeprazole magnesium take anywhere from 24 hours to 4 days to have full effect. These medicines do not provide relief right away.
While omeprazole magnesium does lower the stomach’s acidity levels, it can also disrupt electrolyte levels in the blood, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. In rare cases, studies have shown that omeprazole magnesium can lead to hypomagnesemia. It’s when serum magnesium levels in the blood fall below 1.46 mg/dL. However, this is a relatively rare case and hasn’t been observed in most patients.
Make sure to report any adverse side effects to your doctor if you have a high risk for hypomagnesemia.
What is Omeprazole?
Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor that is used to treat the symptoms of heartburn by reducing the amount of acid produced in the stomach. The chemical formula for this medicine is C17H19N3O3S.
Patients should notice an improvement in their symptoms within 2 to 3 days, but it could take as long as four weeks for the medicine to work properly. It is worth noting that Omeprazole can cause patients to produce more gas than is normal, which can be uncomfortable.
It is recommended to take Omeprazole once a day in the morning, with or without food. The most common form of Omeprazole is tablets and capsules. They are usually taken once in the morning, with or without food. However, it is recommended to follow your doctor’s instructions. Taking Omeprazole for a long time can lead to a deficiency in vitamin B-12 (characterized by a sore tongue, lethargy, and numbness). Tell your doctor right away if you notice these symptoms.
What conditions is Omeprazole approved to treat?
Omeprazole is used to relieve the symptoms of acid reflux, heartburn, and similar conditions caused due to high acidity levels in the stomach. Other conditions that Omeprazole can treat include Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, dyspepsia, and Barrett’s esophagus.
How does Omeprazole work for Acid Reflux?
Omeprazole relieves the symptoms of acid reflux by disrupting the proton pump by blocking the gastric H,K-ATPase. This action of the medicine treats acid reflux as well as other conditions such as GERD, peptic ulcers, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Omeprazole usually takes about one to four days to start working and may require as much as 2 to 3 weeks to show full effect.
Some patients may also combine Omeprazole with antibiotics to treat Helicobacter pylori infection.
Effectiveness
How effective are Omeprazole Magnesium and Omeprazole for treating Acid Reflux?
Both omeprazole magnesium and Omeprazole are extremely effective at treating acid reflux by disrupting the action of proton pumps in the stomach. It will take about 2 to 3 days for both medicines to work, but it is recommended to wait at least four weeks for the medicine to show its full effect.
Both medicines are very similar in their ability to provide relief to the stomach and reduce acidity levels. Making the decision to choose either medicine depends on which one is more conveniently available, pricing, whether they’re covered under insurance, and the doctor’s instructions.
It is worth noting that omeprazole magnesium and Omeprazole don't work for everyone. Even if they work, you may experience symptoms of acid reflux from time to time. This is why a better solution is to try changing your diet instead of trying PPIs. A key reason why PPIs are not curing your acid reflux is that you were misdiagnosed.
Heartburn is also caused by conditions other than acid reflux, such as achalasia, non-acid reflux in the esophagus, and eosinophilic esophagitis. Moreover, heart disease can also feel very similar to heartburn, and it can be difficult to tell the difference. This is why you should always follow up with your healthcare provider to see if your symptoms are due to acid reflux or a different condition.
Dosage information
How is Omeprazole Magnesium administered for Acid Reflux?
The standard dose of omeprazole magnesium for self-treating usually starts at 20 mg orally per day in the morning with a duration of 4 weeks. A child’s dosage will primarily depend on their weight.
Side Effects
What are the most-common side effects of Omeprazole Magnesium?
Here are the most common side effects of omeprazole magnesium:
- Flatulence
- Constipation
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headaches
- Diarrhea
- Discomfort in the stomach
Are there any potential serious side effects of Omeprazole Magnesium?
* If you experience any of these serious side effects, seek medical help immediately
- Fever
- Frequent urination
- Abdominal pain
- Symptoms of a low magnesium blood level
- Irregular heartbeat
- Seizures
- Muscle spasms
- Rash on the cheeks and nose
- Joint pain that gets worse with time
- Difficulty breathing
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
What are the most-common side effects of Omeprazole?
The side effects of Omeprazole are similar to that of omeprazole magnesium and are as follows:
- Flatulence
- Constipation
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headaches
- Diarrhea
- Discomfort in the stomach
Are there any potential serious side effects of Omeprazole?
* If you experience any of these serious side effects, seek medical help immediately
- Fever
- Frequent urination
- Abdominal pain
- Symptoms of a low magnesium blood level
- Irregular heartbeat
- Seizures
- Muscle spasms
- Rash on the cheeks and nose
- Joint pain that gets worse with time
- Difficulty breathing
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
Contraindications and interactions
Warnings and general precautions for Omeprazole Magnesium and Omeprazole
The long-term side effects of omeprazole magnesium and Omeprazole include gut infections, bone fractures, deficiency in vitamin B12, and mouth ulcers, among others. Patients may notice these side effects within 12 months of fusing the medications. Serum magnesium levels can also fall below healthy levels, which can make the patient feel tired and confused, and cause muscle twitches.
Furthermore, some studies have found that omeprazole magnesium and Omeprazole may slightly increase the patient's risk of developing stomach cancer. This is usually observed in patients who are taking the drugs for longer than three years. However, more studies with a greater sample size are needed to confirm whether Omeprazole and other PPIs are causing stomach cancer.
You should speak to your doctor if you notice the following symptoms:
- Feeling lethargic
- Feeling full after eating just a small amount of food
- Not gaining weight
- Having difficulty swallowing
You may not take this medicine if you have low amounts of magnesium in the blood, have systemic lupus erythematosus, and haveosteoporosis.
Contraindications and important interactions for Omeprazole Magnesium and Omeprazole
Contraindications
Omeprazole Magnesium/Omeprazole
Omeprazole magnesium and omeprazole are contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to omeprazole. The following conditions are contraindicated with these medicines:
- Having diarrhea from an infection due to Clostridium difficile bacteria
- Inadequate levels of vitamin B12
- Problems with the level
- Kidney inflammation
- Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Osteoporosis
- Low levels of magnesium in the blood
Drug/Medication Interactions
Omeprazole Magnesium/Omeprazole
Do not use medications containing esomeprazole while using Omeprazole because they are very similar in their structure and could increase your risk of side effects
The drug interactions for omeprazole magnesium and omeprazole are similar. They are as follows:
- Abametapir
- Acalabrutinib
- Amphetamine
- Atazanavir
- Atezolizumab
- Belumosudil
- Belzutifan
- Benzphetamine
- Bosutinib
- Capecitabine
- Cilostazol
- Citalopram
- Clopidogrel
- Clorazepate
- Conivaptan
- Dacomitinib
- Dasabuvir
- Dasatinib
- Delavirdine
- Dextroamphetamine
- Elagolix
- Erlotinib
- Escitalopram
- Eslicarbazepine Acetate
- Fedratinib
- Fexinidazole
- Fosnetupitant
- Gefitinib
- Netupitant
- Nilotinib
- Octreotide
- Ombitasvir
- Palbociclib
- Paritaprevir
- Pazopanib
- Pexidartinib
- Ritonavir
- Saquinavir
- Secretin Human
- Selpercatinib
- Sotorasib
- Sunitinib
- Tacrolimus
- Velpatasvir
- Vismodegib
- Voriconazole
- Indinavir
- Infigratinib
- Ketoconazole
- Ledipasvir
- Lisdexamfetamine
- Mavacamten
- Methamphetamine
- Methotrexate
- Mycophenolate Mofetil
- Nelfinavir
- Neratinib
Food/Beverage/Supplement Interactions
Omeprazole Magnesium/Omeprazole
The food interactions for omeprazole magnesium and Omeprazole are similar. You should avoid eating the following types of food when taking these medicines:
- Fried and fatty foods such as pizzas, fried chicken, and French fries
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Garlic
- Certain types of spice
- Peppermint
You should avoid the following beverages when taking omeprazole magnesium omeprazole:
- Alcohol
- Wine
- Beer
- Citrus fruits and juices
- Acidic drinks
The following supplement may interact with omeprazole magnesium and Omeprazole:
- Vitamin C
Cost Comparison
How much do Omeprazole Magnesium and Omeprazole cost?
The price of omeprazole magnesium and Omeprazole depends on various factors, including the location of the pharmacy and whether they are covered under insurance or not. The typical cost of OTC omeprazole ranges anywhere from $10 to $20. Prescription Omeprazole usually costs about $200.
You may also use certain coupons to get a discount at certain pharmacies. Buyers have been able to purchase Omeprazole Magnesium and Omeprazole for as low as $10 by showing coupons. Both omeprazole magnesium and Omeprazole are covered by most Medicare and insurance plans.
Popularity of Omeprazole Magnesium and Omeprazole
Omeprazole is extremely popular in the US, with a whopping 56 million prescriptions in 2020 alone, as reported by ClinCalc. This should come as no surprise given the prevalence of acid reflux in the US, which is mostly caused by eating large meals or eating late at night. Certain foods can also trigger acid reflux, such as pizzas and French fries.
Conclusion
Takeaway
This was an in-depth look at Omeprazole Magnesium and Omeprazole. Both medications are highly effective at treating stomach problems caused by high acidity levels. You can buy them over the counter or by prescription. It can take anywhere from 4 days to 4 weeks for the medications to show their full effect, and you should be patient until then.
The side effect profile of both medications is very similar. This also applies to their contraindications. You should always consult with your doctor before deciding to take either medication for treating acid reflux. If your symptoms persist or get worse even after taking the drug, you should talk to your doctor right away.