Omeprazole belongs to the proton pump inhibitors group. It is used to block production of the stomach acid.
Omeprazole is prescribed to the patients who suffer of dyspepsia, heartburn, erosive esophagitis, stress ulcer, peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum, stomach bleeding, systemic mastocytosis, multiple endocrine adenomas, benign tumors of the hormone producing glands, gastroesophageal reflux disease, laryngopharyngeal reflux and Zollinger–Ellison syndrome, pancreatitis, fatty bowel movements in cystic fibrosis. Also it can be used to promote healing of erosive esophagitis, prevent recurrence of the ulcer and bleeding in critically patients and patients who use Aspirin/Ibuprofen-like drugs and prophylaxis of the Mendelson syndrome (acid aspiration).
Omeprazole is included to combination that was developed for treatment of the gastric ulcer caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.
Side effects
According to the studies result up to 6,9% of patients who use Omeprazole experience different side effects and some of them can be quite serious.
The most common adverse effects of the Omeprazole include but not limited with:
- Headache
- General feeling of being unwell
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Lightheadedness
- Tiredness
- Asthenia
- Muscle weakness
- Upper respiratory infection (fever, chills, sore throat)
- Cough
- Acute pneumonia
- Chest pain
- Angina
- Palpitations
- Arrhythmia (fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat)
- Elevated blood pressure
- Peripheral edema (swelling of the extremities)
- Inflammation of the mouth
- Dry mouth
- Stomatitis
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Belching
- Heartburn
- Acid regurgitation
- Nausea
- Gastrointestinal infections
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Irritable colon
- Fecal discoloration
- Flatulence
- Unusual or sudden weight increase
- Back pain
- Leg pain
- Depression
- Nervousness
- Anxiety
- Apathy
- Insomnia
- Somnolence
- Vision changes (blurred vision, double vision)
- Dry eye syndrome
- Ocular irritation
- Rash (petechiae; purpura)
- Photosensitivity
- Red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin
- Yellowing of the eyes or skin
Also people who use Omeprazole can experience other side effects such as:
- Skin inflammation
- Erythema multiforme
- Tremors
- Tinnitus
- Taste perversion
- Hemifacial dysesthesia
- Numbness of the extremities
- Paresthesia
- Ataxia
- Vertigo
- Myalgia
- Muscle cramps
- Bone pain
- Joint pain
- Bone fracture
- Urinary tract infection
- Frequent urination
- Testicular pain
- Impotence
- Gynecomastia
- Breast enlargement in women
- Breast tenderness
- A dose-dependent reduction in protein-bound cyanocobalamin absorption
- Osteoporosis due to poor absorption of calcium
Omeprazole as any other medicine can cause allergic reaction that manifests at such symptoms as: rash, hives, itching, difficulty breathing, bronchospasm, unusual hoarseness, tightness in the chest, anaphylaxis, anaphylactic shock, swelling of the eyes, mouth, face, lips, tongue or throat, angioedema, interstitial nephritis, fever, pain, fatigue, malaise.
Also rare but Omeprazole can cause toxic (toxic epidermal necrolysis (sometimes fatal), Stevens-Johnson syndrome) and autoimmune reactions (fever, arthralgias, Raynaud’s phenomenon with a positive ANA titer).
All these reactions are serious and require urgent medical attention and help.
Rare side effects
In some rare cases Omeprazole can lead to campylobacter gastroenteritis, pruritus, alopecia, dry skin, hyperhidrosis, dermatomyositis, cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis, benign gastric fundic gland polyps and hyperplasia of gastric enterochromaffin-like cells development.
In patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome Omeprazole can cause development of the gastroduodenal carcinoids and persistent achlorhydria.
Laboratory test’s changes
If you are taking Omeprazole your doctor can find in your blood tests some changes but you should keep in your mind that some of these changes such as elevations of liver function tests (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, bilirubin), uric acid, serum creatinine and plasma gastrin levels can be result of the Omeprazole intake. Besides people who use Omeprazole can reveal in their blood tests results changes in microelements levels. Among them hypomagnesemia (that can manifest in seizures, dizziness, abnormal, fast or skipped heartbeat, jitteriness, jerking movements or tremors, muscle weakness, spasms of the hands and feet, cramps or muscle aches, and spasm of the voice box), hyponatremia, hypokalemia and hypocalcemia.
And that is very important for patients with diabetes Omeprazole can cause hypoglycemia.
Theses changes are reversible and disappear after withdrawal of Omeprazole.
Also Omeprazole can lead to some changes in hematological tests: hemolytic anemia, neutropenia, leukopenia, leucocytosis, agranulocytosis (sometimes fatal), thrombocytopenia, pancytopenia.
In urine tests can be found such changes as proteinuria, hematuria, glycosuria, microscopic pyuria.
Serious side effects
Omeprazole can cause serious side effects that make patients to appeal for immediate medical help.
These serious side effects include:
- Epistaxis
- Mucosal atrophy of the tongue
- Esophageal candidiasis
- Severe stomach pain or cramps
- Gastrointestinal infections
- Severe diarrhea
- Hepatic failure (sometimes fatal)
- Liver necrosis (sometimes fatal)
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Hepatocellular disease
- Cholestatic disease
- Mixed hepatitis
- Pancreatitis (sometimes fatal)
- Interstitial nephritis
- Renal failure
- Angina
- Arrhythmias (tachycardia, bradycardia, palpitations)
- Abdominal swelling
- Swelling of the hands, ankles, or feet
- Optic atrophy
- Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy
- Optic neuritis
- Agitation
- Aggression
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Disseminated epidermal necrosis
- Furunculosis
- Exfoliative dermatitis
- Unusual bruising or bleeding
- Gynecomastia
- Nonspecific polyarthritis
- Hip and other bone fractures
- Acute severe myopathy
- Blood and bone marrow problems
- Acute pneumonia
Side effects in pregnant women
Omeprazole is contraindicated to pregnant women but experimental studies didn’t show any toxic influence of this medicine.
Side effects in children
Profile of the Omeprazol’s side effects in children is similar to adults but such problems as respiratory symptoms (cough, chest pain, wheezing) are more frequent.
Conclusions
You may never experience any of listed above side effects. And your doctor cannot predict reaction of your body to Omeprazole until you will try it. That’s why don’t forget to let your physician know if something in your health condition alert you. So when it seems that anything going wrong ask your doctor for advice and he or she will diagnose if your problem is connected with medicine intake. And be careful because some of Omeprazol’s side effects require urgent medical help.