Gastrointestinal problems have been now enlisted in the most common prevailing health problems. Having problems like acidic reflux has recently become a very normal phenomenon and most likely many of you have experienced it.
Though it seems not to be very severe at the beginning, it can cost you a terrible headache in case you are not receiving any treatment. Basically here treatment means nothing much but some over the counter medicines.
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If you are newly encountering gastric problems, then certain regular medications like omeprazole might be included in your daily routine.
Certainly, you ought to visit a doctor prior to starting any sort of medicine. But it’s also essential for you to have some basic knowledge about these medicines so that you can relate to your doctor while consultation. Now you might be thinking: is omeprazole a steroid?
In this article, I will give an insight into such a drug called ‘Omeprazole’ which will help you to clear up your mind in case you are new to these sorts of health conditions.
Table of Content
What is omeprazole?
Omeprazole comes in a capsule form which is a doctor prescribed medication and falls under the class of drugs called ‘proton pump inhibitor (PPI)’. You may find them with the brand name Prilosec. Omeprazole is additionally found as an oral suspension and is included in the list of over-the-counter medicines.
The form of omeprazole which is given as prescription medicine falls under the delayed-release drugs. This sort of drug makes the release of the medicine sluggish until it travels through the stomach. This defers shields the medication from being deactivated by the stomach.
Omeprazole is generally used to treat certain gastric problems that many people encounter almost every day. However, it is always recommended to consult the doctor before starting any PPI even if it’s of low strength.
How Does This Work?
As Omeprazole falls under the class of PPI, it works in the same way as other PPI drugs as one class of medicines always works similarly. These medications are frequently used in the treatment of alike conditions.
Omeprazole works by meddling with certain body physiology. It diminishes the quantity of acid produced by your stomach. This is done by obstructing a specific system present in the stomach cells known as the ‘proton pump’.
The ‘proton pump’ works in the last step of corrosive creation. At the point, while the ‘proton pump’ is obstructed, the stomach produces fewer amounts of acid. This subsequently aids in declining your symptoms.
Omeprazole ingredients
Here’s what omeprazole contains:
Active substance: Omeprazole
Other ingredients:
- Poloxamer
- Hypromellose
- Crospovidone
- Povidone
- Meglumine
- Magnesium stearate
- Triethyl citrate
- Ethyl acrylate
- Sample Item
What is Omeprazole Used for?
Omeprazole uses are most likely known by many people but some might not be clear about the exact benefits. So, here the omeprazole indications:
In Grown-Ups or Adults
- ‘Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease’ (GERD). This occurs when the corrosive produced in the stomach reaches the gullet (tube connecting the stomach and throat) resulting in torment, irritation, and acid reflux. Omeprazole helps in treating this by diminishing persistent cough, heartburn, and dysphagia.
- Erosive esophagitis
- Used in the treatment of duodenal ulcer or gastric ulcer.
- Ulcers caused due to microscopic organisms known as ‘Helicobacter pylori’. On the off chance that you are suffering from this condition, your physician may recommend antibiotics along with Omeprazole as a treatment and permit the ulcer to recuperate.
- Ulcers brought about by medications known as ‘NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)’. In these cases, Capsules can likewise be utilized to prevent ulcers from developing in the event that you are having NSAIDs.
- Sometimes a pancreatic growth called ‘Zollinger-Ellison syndrome’ can result in producing a huge amount of acid inside the stomach. Omeprazole can be beneficial in this case as well.
- Multiple endocrine adenomas
- Systemic mastocytosis

In Children
In case of children with a weight of more than 10kg and age over 1 year:
‘Gastro-oesophageal reflux infection’ (GERD). In youngsters, the manifestations of this condition may incorporate regurgitation (coming back of stomach contents in the mouth), vomiting, and sub-standard weight pick up.
Hence, doctors might prescribe Omeprazole here.
Children more than 4 years old
In their case, Omeprazole is used to treat ulcers that are caused due to microorganisms known as ‘Helicobacter pylori’.
Omeprazole Dosage – Before or After The Meal?
When to use Omeprazole is a common query of the patients. This medicine can be taken prior to having food and also can be consumed with food.
So, if you are confused regarding when to take omeprazole at night, then just follow the instruction above.
Now, let’s move onto the Omeprazole dose. The dose generally varies depending on the following factors:
- Age
- The condition you are having
- Other medical issues
- Severity
Take a glance below at the dosages:
Adults:
- Duodenal ulcer
- Oral administration of omeprazole 20mg for 4-8 weeks
- Helicobactor pylori infection
- Oral administration of 20mg omeprazole every 12 hours which needs to be continued for 10 days along with other anti-biotics
- Gastric ulcer
- 40mg of omeprazole for 4-8 weeks
- GERD
- 20 mg every day to be continued for 4 weeks
- Erosive Esophagitis
- Oral administration of 20mg omeprazole for 4-8 weeks.
- Maintenance: 20mg once every day
- Hyper-secretory conditions
- 60 mg, 1 time every day (starting dose)
- 360 mg each day (maximum dose)
Children:
- Children of age group 1 month-1 year
- 10kg or more: 10mg, 1 time every day
- 5-10kg: 5mg, 1 time daily
- 3-5kg: 2.5 mg, 1 time every day
- Children with GERD
- More than 20kg: 20 mg once daily
- 10-20kg: 10mg every day orally
- 5-10kg: 5mg per day orally
Omeprazole contraindications
Omeprazole is generally safe for adults. Even the intake of omeprazole and breastfeeding is not contradictory. But there are certain conditions while it is advised to restrain from Omeprazole. So, to ensure if omeprazole is alright for you, tell your physician in case you are:
- experiencing a hypersensitive response to omeprazole or some other meds of the same group
- suffering from liver issues
- expecting to go through an endoscopy
Inquire the physician regarding whether you need to quit consuming omeprazole half a month prior to your endoscopy. This is on the grounds that omeprazole may conceal a portion of the issues that would be spotted usually at the time of endoscopy.
Omeprazole interactions
On the off chance that your physician has recommended you to utilize this prescribed medication, your physician may as of now know about any conceivable medication interactions, wellbeing dangers, and reactions, and might be observing you for them.
Try not to begin, stop, or make a change in the medication dose prior to consulting with your physician or drug specialist first.
Yet, in case you are having other medicines, tell your doctor about that immediately as there are some medicines that might interact with Omeprazole. Here’s a list of medicines that are generally said to have an effect on the function of omeprazole and vice versa:
- Medicine having nelfinavir – used in treating HIV
- Digitoxin – Medicine for treating heart problems
- Posaconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole – antifungal medications
- Rifampicin – Antibiotic
- Methotrexate – Used in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis treatment
- Phenytoin – Anti-epilepsy drug
- Warfarin – Used for thinning the blood
- Diazepam – Used for muscle relaxation
- Cilostazol – Intermittent claudication is treated by this
- Clopidogrel – Prevents clotting of blood
- Methotrexate – Medicine used in chemotherapy
- Saquinavir, Atazanavir – HIV treatment
Extreme Interactions of omeprazole include:
- Rilpivirine
- Erlotinib
- Nelfinavir
In general, Omeprazole may have severe interactions with a minimum of 22 distinct medications. It has moderate interactions with a minimum of 75 various medications whereas 52 unique medicines cause minor interactions.
This article does not consist of every single medicine interacting with Omeprazole. Hence, prior to utilizing this item, tell your physician of all other drugs you are having. Keep a rundown of every one of your drugs with you, and show it to your doctor if needed.
Omeprazole Side Effect
Though omeprazole is not often seen to cause problems in individuals having it, sometimes it might show some reactions. Following is a rundown of the side effects of omeprazole:
Common side effects:
- Stomach pain
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Headache
- Gas
- Fever (especially in the case of children)
If these effects do not go away in some days, consult with your doctor.
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Serious Side Effects
Deficiency of vitamin B-12
Symptoms incorporate
- Sub-standard muscular coordination
- Neuritis
- Menstrual changes
- Numbness in the feet and hands
- Severe diarrhea with symptoms
- Stomach pain
- Constant fever
- Watery stool
- Low magnesium level
This change in the blood may show the following symptoms:
- Abnormal heart rate
- Muscle weakness
- Voicebox spasm
- Hand and feet spasm
- Tremors
- Jitteriness
- Muscle aches
- Dizziness
- Kidney damage
Manifestations include:
- Change in urine
- Pain in the flank
- Bone fracture
- Polyps in the fundic gland
- Inflammation of the lining of the stomach
- Nausea
- Weight loss
- Stomach pain
- Liver problems including hepatitis and liver failure.
Conclusion
Every health condition starting from major to minor problems requires attention. Gastric problems may sound very minor but should not be ignored.
There are certain medicines used for the treatment. These are generally not a high dose medication yet are very important for keeping your problem under control.
Before starting any medication for acid reflux or GERD make sure to consult with your doctor. Your doctor will prescribe you omeprazole 20mg, 40mg, or 60mg according to the severity of your condition. Besides having medicine you can also try out Probio Lite which is an amazing supplement for reversing acid reflux.
While purchasing omeprazole, try to buy it from authentic stores or online stores. The price range varies from store to store. But in certain sites like goodrx.com, the omeprazole 20mg price is $6 only.
So, I hope the information in the article – ‘Is omeprazole a steroid?’ will help you with a better understanding of the functions, uses, and the side effects of this drug in case you are using it regularly.
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The FAQs About Omeprazole
Though Omeprazole is a common medication and lots of people are using this every day, many of them do not have the basic knowledge about it. There also arises a lot of confusion regarding its proper type, dosage, uses, and side effects.
Is Omeprazole a steroid?
Omeprazole is not a steroid. Steroids fall under completely different groups of drugs and they mainly work by interacting with hormones. And they are mainly used for treating inflammation, arthritis, asthma, and so on. But the Omeprazole works by meddling with the proton pump present in the stomach and saves you from excess acid production in the stomach.
Is Omeprazole the same as Zantac?
Both Zantac and omeprazole fall under the same medicine group and are used to treat gastrointestinal problems. Omeprazole is the generic name for Prilosec whereas Zantac is the brand name of ranitidine. Generally, Zantac blocks the chemical known as histamine in your body which works for activating the acid pumps and thus helps in conditions like acid reflux.
Can Prilosec and Pepto-Bismal be given at the same time?
Both Prilosec and Pepto-bismal are used to treat gastric problems and heartburn. Prilosec contains omeprazole inside whereas Pepto-bismal has bismuth subsalicylate. There were no interactions found between these two medicines. But don’t forget to consult your doctor prior to using them.
Does omeprazole cause high blood pressure?
Long-term omeprazole administration can cause impairment in vascular function which may result in renovascular hypertension. This generally occurs due to enhanced ADMA concentration that results in increased XOR activity of the vessels and oxidative stress. Over time, this can cause the heart to become weak. To prevent this condition you can try out blood pressure supplements like StrictionBP in order to keep your pressure under control.
When omeprazole doesn’t work?
Generally, experts say that omeprazole should work for everyone having gastric problems. So, if this does not work, then it might be because of the following reasons:
Your case is being misdiagnosed. Some heart diseases display the same symptoms as GERD.
You might be consuming excessive amounts of fried foods or fatty foods.
You might not be taking the medicine regularly at the proper time.
Why take omeprazole with prednisolone?
Prednisolone is a steroid. While you take prednisolone then it may cause stomach-related problems like gastritis. So, this is the reason the doctors prescribe omeprazole with prednisolone. Generally, no interactions are seen between them. But as every ones’ body responds differently, you may face some adverse effects. In that case, rush to the doctor immediately for help.
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