|
Nexium side effects
by
Ray Sahelian, M.D.
Nexium is in a class of drugs called
proton pump inhibitors
(PPIs) which block the production of acid by the stomach. Other
drugs in the same class include omeprazole (Prilosec),
lansoprazole (Prevacid), rabeprazole (Aciphex) and pantoprazole
(Protonix). Chemically, Nexium is very similar to omeprazole.
Proton pump inhibitors are used for the treatment of conditions
such as stomach and duodenal
ulcers, gastroesophageal
reflux disease (GERD) and the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome which
all are caused by stomach acid. Nexium, like other proton-pump
inhibitors, blocks the enzyme in the wall of the stomach that
produces acid. By blocking the enzyme, the production of acid is
decreased, and this allows the stomach and esophagus to heal.
Nexium was approved by the FDA in 2001.
Recently research had determined that long term use of Nexium
and other PPIs increases the risk for diarrhea and osteoporosis.
Side effects of Nexium
Nexium began to be used in 2001. It takes many years to find out
the full range of side effects of Nexium or other drugs. Serious
Nexium side effects could be an allergic reaction (difficulty
breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips,
tongue, or face; or hives). Other Nexium side effects reported
include headache, diarrhea, nausea, flatulence, abdominal pain,
or constipation; or dry mouth. Some studies indicate a common
Nexium side effect is headache. The most common Nexium side
effects appear to be gastrointestinal. An additional Nexium side
effect is that it can interfere with the absorption of certain
drugs. By preventing high acidity in the stomach, it is
theoretically possible that chronic use of this drug may lead to
the Nexium side effect of a higher rate of gastrointestinal
infections since not enough acid is available to kill germs in
the stomach.
Nexium
medication not safe -- more side effects of Nexium -
diarrhea and bone fracture
Nexium use may increase the risk of diarrhea. Taking a heartburn
medication such as AstraZeneca's Nexium increases the risk of
diarrhea blamed on the Clostridium difficile bacteria. Nexium
reduces gastric acid, allowing for bacteria to multiply in the
digestive system. Clostridium is the third-most common type of
infectious diarrhea in patients aged 75 and older. Exposure to
Clostridium difficile bacteria, which causes infection and
inflammation of the intestine, previously occurred mostly during
hospital stays, but cases have increasingly been contracted in
community settings. While antibiotics formerly blamed for
outbreaks of the illness have declined in use, the acid-blocking
drugs have become steadily more popular to treat ulcers and
conditions such as gastric reflux disease.
Nexium and other
PPIs may now also be associated with bone fracture. Prolonged
use of proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium, particulary at
high doses, is linked to increased risk of hip fracture in the
elderly.
http://www.raysahelian.com/nexium.html
|
|