Pantoprazole vs. omeprazole: What's the difference between them?
Pantoprazole and omeprazole are both medicines from the class of medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). PPIs work by decreasing the amount of acid your stomach produces and have similar effectiveness. The approved uses for pantoprazole and omeprazole differ slightly, but they are all disorders related to too much stomach acid.
Pantoprazole is approved to treat:
- Erosive esophagitis associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Maintenance of healing of erosive esophagitis
- Pathological hypersecretory conditions, including Zollinger-Ellison (ZE) syndrome
Omeprazole is approved to treat:
- Duodenal ulcer
- H. pylori infection and duodenal ulcer disease (in combination with clarithromycin)
- Gastric ulcer
- Treatment of GERD in adults and pediatric patients
- Erosive esophagitis (short-term, or long-term for healing and maintenance)
- Pathological hypersecretory conditions such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, multiple endocrine adenomas and systemic mastocytosis
Omeprazole was the first PPI to be marketed in 1989 under the brand name Prilosec. It is available by prescription as 10 mg, 20 mg or 40 mg delayed-release capsules, and as granules for oral suspension. When prescribed by a doctor, it is usually taken for 4 to 8 weeks, depending on which disorder is being treated. Omeprazole is also available over the counter (OTC) as a 20 mg tablet for individuals who experience frequent heartburn. The OTC product should be used for only 2 weeks. Omeprazole should be taken on an empty stomach.
Pantoprazole was marketed in 2000 under the brand name Protonix. It is available by prescription only and comes as 20 mg or 40 mg delayed-release tablets, a 40 mg packet of delayed-release granules to make an oral suspension and as an intravenous (IV) form. It may be taken with or without food, and the usual course of treatment is up to 8 weeks long.
Related questions
References
- U.S. National Library of Medicine DailyMed. Protonix Product Information. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=d212e8ec-f7ff-4727-a83e-0edc4ca7e6d1&audience=consumer. [Accessed May 10, 2022].
- U.S. National Library of Medicine DailyMed. Prilosec Product Information. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=d970b074-957a-4036-92d3-1712386f3858&audience=consumer. [Accessed May 11, 2022].
- U.S. National Library of Medicine DailyMed. Prilosec-OTC Product information. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=35a79458-79f6-44d6-b74c-b4f4aaf0dde0&audience=consumer. [Accessed May 11, 2022].
Read next
Can I take omeprazole in the morning and famotidine at night?
Yes, you could take omeprazole in the morning and famotidine at night but there are not many studies investigating this approach. Preliminary results suggest that taking your medication this way may provide superior control of gastric acid secretion at night without compromising the effectiveness of omeprazole in the morning. More research is needed. Continue reading
Is omeprazole (Prilosec) bad for your kidneys?
Omeprazole (Prilosec) is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) that is used to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach and it can be bad for your kidneys. It can cause acute kidney injury and may also worsen the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Continue reading
Does omeprazole cause cancer?
Long-term use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) acid-suppressing agents, such as omeprazole, has been associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer (also called gastric cancer). This is based on the results of several observational studies and is thought to be because PPIs such as omeprazole are potent gastric acid suppressants that may increase the risk of gastric cancer by causing atrophy (thinning) of the stomach lining, elevating levels of a hormone called gastrin, and an overgrowth of bacteria in the stomach. Continue reading
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