It is used to treat conditions like non-cancerous stomach ulcers, GERD, active duodenal ulcers, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and esophagitis that are caused by too much stomach acid. Omeprazole belongs to a class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors and works by preventing the stomach from producing acid.
To treat gastric ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, omeprazole may also be given in combination with antibiotics (H. pylori).
Adults who experience heartburn at least twice a week can take omeprazole over-the-counter (OTC). To get the full benefits of the OTC brand, a 14-day regimen of regular use is required.
Treatment of ulcers in the intestines
Omeprazole 20 mg once daily is the recommended dosage for patients with an active duodenal ulcer. Healing occurs in two weeks or less for the majority of patients. A second two-week treatment period is usually necessary for patients who have not yet recovered from their first course of treatment. Omeprazole 40 mg once daily is recommended for patients with poorly responsive duodenal ulcers, and healing usually occurs within four weeks.
Duodenal ulcer recurrence can be prevented.
Omeprazole 20 mg once daily is recommended for the prevention of relapse of duodenal ulcer in H. pylori negative patients or when eradication of H. pylori is not possible. A daily dose of 10 mg may be sufficient for some patients. The dose can be increased to 40 mg if therapy doesn’t work.
Gastric ulcer therapy
Omeprazole 20 mg once a day is the recommended dosage. Healing usually takes place within four weeks for most patients. For those individuals who may not be entirely cured after the initial course, healing normally happens after a following four weeks therapy session. Omeprazole 40 mg once daily is suggested for patients with poorly responding stomach ulcers, and healing is usually achieved within eight weeks.
Gastric ulcer recurrence prevention
For the prevention of relapse in patients with poorly responding gastric ulcer the recommended dose is Omeprazole 20 mg once daily. Once daily Omeprazole can be raised to 40 mg if necessary.
Eradicating H. pylori from peptic ulcer patients
H. pylori should be eradicated by using antibiotics selected according to national, regional, and local resistance patterns and treatment standards, with consideration for the particular patient’s drug tolerance.
- Clarithromycin 500 mg and amoxicillin 1,000 mg twice daily for a week, or omeprazole 20 mg and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily for a week
- Omeprazole 20 mg + clarithromycin 250 mg (alternatively 500 mg) + metronidazole 400 mg (or 500 mg or tinidazole 500 mg), each twice daily for one week or
- Amoxicillin 500 mg and metronidazole 400 mg are taken three times a day for a week, plus omeprazole 40 mg once a day.
- If the patient’s H. pylori test comes back positive after each regimen, the treatment can be repeated.
Treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers caused by NSAIDs
Omeprazole 20 mg once daily is suggested for the treatment of NSAID-associated gastric and duodenal ulcers. Healing usually takes place within four weeks for most patients. After the initial course of treatment, healing normally happens during a further four weeks of treatment for those patients who have not yet recovered.
