What is Omeprazole used for?

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What is Omeprazole used for?
Omeprazole is a drug that acts to decrease acid formation in the stomach. Part of a group of drugs called proton pump inhibitor, omeprazole is a commonly prescribed medicine for the treatment of various conditions that causes acid build-up in the stomach. In some countries, omeprazole is considered an OTC or over the counter drug and not a prescription drug.

This drug is commonly used in the treatment of PUD or peptic ulcer disease, dyspepsia, erosive esophagitis, gastro-esophageal reflux disease or GERD, pathological hypersecretory conditions like Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, and laryngopharyngeal reflux. Along with other antibiotics, omeprazole is sometimes given to those who have gastric ulcers that are secondary to H. pylori infection. In rare cases, this drug is also prescribed by doctors as a preventative drug for stomach or gastric ulcers. This is especially applicable to patients that are under NSAID medication.

As with any other drug, omeprazole may also cause some side effects and these include headache, pain in the abdominal area, lethargy, dizzy feeling, nausea, diarrhea, difficulty in waking up from sleep, and sleeping problems. In some cases, this particular drug is also involved in the increased incidence of pneumonia, vitamin B12 reduction and/or depletion in the body, and kidney illnesses like acute tubulointerstitial nephritis. For any symptom experienced, patients are always advised to seek immediate medical attention.

One should also not take this drug if he/she has known allergic reactions to omeprazole, albendazole and mebendazole. Those with liver and heart disease must also take caution before taking this drug and should coordinate with their doctors for proper medical advice. Nursing mothers are also contraindicated to take this drug as it may be passed to babies through breast milk. And though this drug is potentially safe even for children, doctors still advice that people seek their help when the patient involved is a minor.

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