Heartburn is a very unpleasant feeling that gives a person a lot of discomfort and can spoil a good mood after a tasty and hearty dinner. However, this trouble does not manifest itself simply like this: most often it is a symptom of various ailments of the gastrointestinal tract. With such complaints, doctors often prescribe Omeprazole for heartburn.
Material Content:
The composition of the drug
The drug was developed more than 30 years ago in Sweden and is still very popular. The product resembles a placer of small crystals of white color, which are poorly soluble in water. But in alcohol, the substance dissolves perfectly.
The powder itself does not have medicinal properties, but acquires them only when it gets inside the body.
Dosage forms can be different - tablets, capsules, powders, solutions for injection. The dosage is also different - 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg. In this case, the solution is available only in bottles of 40 ml.
The principle of action is simple: the medication blocks the production of hydrochloric acid - the main component of gastric juice - in the cells of the gastric mucosa. The active component (omeprazole) reduces the activity of special proteins - proton pumps, reducing acidity.
Omeprazole capsules or tablets also include a substance that inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause ulcers, and auxiliary components depending on the specific dosage form (gelatin, water, calcium carbonate, glycerin, sugar, talc and others). The specific price of the drug depends on the number of elements in the package, form of release and country of production.
Does omeprazole help with heartburn
The drug is taken for various gastrointestinal diseases:
- gastritis;
- esophageal ulcer;
- peptic ulcer of the duodenum;
- esophagitis;
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome;
- stomach ulcer.
Almost all of these pathologies are manifested by excessive production of gastric juice. Due to the increased amount, it easily rises into the esophagus and irritates it. We can say that the drug helps to alleviate many pathological conditions associated with increased production of gastric juice and acid concentration.
The drug acts quickly enough - the effect can be felt after 50 minutes. The duration of exposure is one day. After completing the full course of treatment, the achieved effect remains for several days.
The medicine helps to restore the acid-base balance, not masking only the symptoms, but providing real therapeutic and preventive effects, while preventing the development of complications.
Is it possible to take constantly
The duration of the course of treatment and the dose are selected by a specialist depending on the cause of the heartburn. For different diseases, these parameters differ, you can read more about this in the instructions attached to the drug.
As a rule, the medicine is taken before or during meals for the first half of the day, washed down with a small amount of clean water. Omeprazole 20 mg capsules are taken once a day - this is the usual daily dose. You can not chew them. Relief comes almost immediately - after 45-60 minutes the patient feels that the discomfort is receding.
You can take omeprazole with heartburn for 2-3 weeks, no longer. Do not arbitrarily interrupt treatment or skip tricks: this leads to a worsening of the condition. After the course, take a break for 2-3 months. Continuous use may cause unwanted symptoms.
Also, gastroenterologists do not recommend drinking the drug to eliminate one-time heartburn. Such isolated cases can be endured, at the same time correcting nutrition.
If the burning sensation is constantly observed and does not lend itself to any correction, you do not need to immediately run to the pharmacy. It is necessary to consult a doctor and undergo an examination to find out the real cause of discomfort.
It is not worth it to prescribe yourself treatment with this drug, since there is a high risk of an overdose or aggravation of the pathological process after drug withdrawal. Also, in cases of cancer, taking the medicine can erode the symptoms and make diagnosis difficult.
What similar drugs exist
Of the analogues you need to mention such tools:
- Losek;
- Zerol;
- Omecaps
- Omeprus
- Romesek;
- Helol.
Of course, they have small differences in the duration and activity of exposure, so all these parameters must be taken into account. In price, the funds differ too.
During pregnancy and lactation
Unfortunately, the period of bearing and feeding a child is a contraindication. Using a medicine in the first trimester can lead to malformations. In the second half of pregnancy, the doctor makes a decision on the advisability of taking Omeprazole.
Also, active substances pass into breast milk, so if there is an urgent need, you need to stop the hepatitis B while taking the drug.
Contraindications and side effects
Side effects are rare, in general, the drug is perceived by the body adequately.
List of contraindications:
- oncology of the digestive tract;
- renal or liver failure;
- osteoporosis;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- lack of calcium;
- childhood;
- salmonellosis.
Overdose practically does not occur. But in such cases, tachycardia, lethargy, nausea can be observed. Single doses up to 100 mg did not cause any serious complications.
As a rule, negative effects can occur in the form of:
- taste disturbances;
- dry mouth
- digestive disorders;
- irritability;
- lethargy;
- an allergic reaction;
- muscle aches.
In exceptional cases, changes in blood plasma composition and impaired liver function may be observed. Therefore, only an expert can prescribe this antiulcer drug, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body.
Omeprazole is an effective and affordable remedy, but it is dangerous to drink it to remove a one-time or even systematic heartburn without the consent of a doctor.
