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pantoprazole FDA Alerts

The FDA Alert(s) below may be specifically about pantoprazole or relate to a group or class of drugs which include pantoprazole.

MedWatch Safety Alerts are distributed by the FDA and published by Drugs.com. Following is a list of possible medication recalls, market withdrawals, alerts and warnings. For the latest FDA MedWatch alerts, go here.

Recent FDA Alert(s) for pantoprazole

Pantoprazole Sodium for Injection 40 Mg Per Vial: Recall - Presence of Glass Particles

Dec 20, 2017

Audience: Pharmacy, Gastroenterology

ISSUE: AuroMedics Pharma LLC is voluntarily recalling one lot of Pantoprazole Sodium for Injection 40 mg per vial, to the hospital level. The product was found to contain glass particles in the vial. This problem was discovered as a result of a product complaint in which the contents of one vial from one batch was found to contain a piece of glass.

The administration of a glass particulate, if present in an intravenous drug, may result in local irritation or swelling in response to the foreign material. More serious potential outcomes would include blockage and clotting in blood vessels, which may be life-threatening.

The affected Pantoprazole Sodium for Injection lot being recalled is CPO170035, EXP. May 2019.  AuroMedics commenced shipping the product to customers on August 7, 2017 and was distributed to wholesalers and/or hospitals nationwide. See the press release for product photo.

BACKGROUND: Pantoprazole Sodium for Injection 40 mg per vial, is used for short term treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease associated with a history of erosive esophagitis and pathological hypersecretion including zollinger-ellison syndrome and is packaged in a carton containing 10 vials, NDC: 55150-202-10.

RECOMMENDATION: AuroMedics Pharma LLC is notifying its distributors and customers by recall letters and is arranging for return/replacement etc. of all recalled product. Consumers/distributors/retailers that have the product lot which is being recalled should immediately stop using and return to place of purchase/contact their doctor as appropriate.

Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Aurobindo Customer Service weekdays 9:00AM to 5:00PM EST at 866-850-2876 Option 1.  If you need assistance in returning your product or have questions about the recall process, contact Inmar at 800-967-5952 weekdays Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM EST. Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking or using this drug product.

Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

[12/19/2017 - Press Release - AuroMedics Pharma]

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) - Drug Safety Communication: Clostridium Difficile-Associated Diarrhea (CDAD) Can be Associated With Stomach Acid Drugs

Feb 8, 2012

Audience: Gastroenerology, Family Practice, Consumer

 


[Posted 02/08/2012]

ISSUE: FDA notified the public that the use of stomach acid drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may be associated with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD). A diagnosis of CDAD should be considered for patients taking PPIs who develop diarrhea that does not improve. The FDA is working with manufacturers to include information about the increased risk of CDAD with use of PPIs in the drug labels.

FDA is also reviewing the risk of CDAD in users of histamine H2 receptor blockers. H2 receptor blockers are used to treat conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach and small intestine ulcers, and heartburn.

BACKGROUND: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are marketed under various brand and generic drug names as prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) products. They work by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach. Prescription PPIs are used to treat conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach and small intestine ulcers, and inflammation of the esophagus. Over-the-counter PPIs are used to treat frequent heartburn.

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea that does not improve. Symptoms include watery stool, abdominal pain, and fever, and patients may go on to develop more serious intestinal conditions. The disease can also be spread in hospitals.  

RECOMMENDATION: Patients should immediately contact their healthcare professional and seek care if they take PPIs and develop diarrhea that does not improve. Information for Healthcare Professionals:

  • A diagnosis of CDAD should be considered for PPI users with diarrhea that does not improve.
  • Advise patients to seek immediate care from a healthcare professional if they experience watery stool that does not go away, abdominal pain, and fever while taking PPIs.
  • Patients should use the lowest dose and shortest duration of PPI therapy appropriate to the condition being treated.

Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:


[02/08/2012 - Drug Safety Communication - FDA] 

Proton Pump Inhibitor drugs (PPIs): Drug Safety Communication - Low Magnesium Levels Can Be Associated With Long-Term Use

Mar 2, 2011

Audience: Consumer, Gastroenterology, Family Practice

Prescription PPIs include Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium), Dexilant (dexlansoprazole), Prilosec (omeprazole), Zegerid (omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate), Prevacid (lansoprazole), Protonix (pantoprazole sodium), AcipHex (rabeprazole sodium), and Vimovo (a prescription combination drug product that contains a PPI (esomeprazole magnesium and naproxen).

Over-the-counter (OTC) PPIs include Prilosec OTC (omeprazole), Zegerid OTC (omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate), and Prevacid 24HR (lansoprazole).

ISSUE: FDA notified healthcare professionals and the public that prescription proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs may cause low serum magnesium levels (hypomagnesemia) if taken for prolonged periods of time (in most cases, longer than one year). Low serum magnesium levels can result in serious adverse events including muscle spasm (tetany), irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias), and convulsions (seizures); however, patients do not always have these symptoms. Treatment of hypomagnesemia generally requires magnesium supplements. In approximately one-quarter of the cases reviewed, magnesium supplementation alone did not improve low serum magnesium levels and the PPI had to be discontinued.

BACKGROUND: PPIs work by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach and are used to treat conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach and small intestine ulcers, and inflammation of the esophagus.

RECOMMENDATION: Healthcare professionals should consider obtaining serum magnesium levels prior to initiation of prescription PPI treatment in patients expected to be on these drugs for long periods of time, as well as patients who take PPIs with medications such as digoxin, diuretics or drugs that may cause hypomagnesemia. For patients taking digoxin, a heart medicine, this is especially important because low magnesium can increase the likelihood of serious side effects. Healthcare professionals should consider obtaining magnesium levels periodically in these patients. For additional information, refer to the Data Summary section of the FDA Drug Safety Communication.

Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events, side effects, or product quality problems related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

[03/02/2011 - Drug Safety Communication - FDA]

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI): Class Labeling Change

May 25, 2010

Audience: Family Practice, consumers

including Nexium, Dexilant, Prilosec, Zegerid, Prevacid, Protonix, Aciphex, Vimovo, Prilosec OTC, Zegerid OTC, and Prevacid 24HR

 

[Posted 05/25/2010] FDA notified healthcare professionals and patients of revisions to the prescription and over-the-counter [OTC] labels for proton pump inhibitors, which work by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach, to include new safety information about a possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine with the use of these medications.

The new safety information is based on FDA's review of several epidemiological studies that found those at greatest risk for these fractures received high doses of proton pump inhibitors or used them for one year or more. The majority of the studies evaluated individuals 50 years of age or older and the increased risk of fracture primarily was observed in this age group. While the greatest increased risk for fractures in these studies involved people who had been taking prescription proton pump inhibitors for at least one year or who had been taking high doses of the prescription medications (not available over-the-counter), as a precaution, the "Drug Facts" label on the OTC proton pump inhibitors (indicated for 14 days of continuous use) also is being revised to include information about this risk. FDA recommends healthcare professionals, when prescribing proton pump inhibitors, should consider whether a lower dose or shorter duration of therapy would adequately treat the patient's condition.

The safety communication includes a data summary with a table and references which support the epidemiological studies reviewed for this communication.

[05/25/2010 - Drug Safety Communication - FDA]
[05/25/2010 - Possible Increased Risk of Bone Fractures With Certain Antacid Drugs - FDA Consumer Health Update]

    

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