Interactions of omeprazole with other drugs | Omeprazole

Interactions of omeprazole with other drugs

Omeprazole may slow down the breakdown of other medicines such as diazepam (psychotropic drug), phenytoin (medicine for heart rhythm disturbances or seizures) or warfarin (anticoagulant).

Contraindications of Omeprazole

Omeprazole must not be given in cases of severe liver dysfunction. Another contraindication is the simultaneous administration of clopidogrel. Clopidogrel is an inhibitor of platelet aggregation during coagulation. Omeprazole inhibits the enzyme (cytochrome CYP2C19) which activates clopidogrel. Thus, a sufficient level of clopidogrel cannot be achieved or higher doses are necessary.

What can be done when the effect wears off?

If you feel that the effect of omeprazole is wearing off or if symptoms such as belching or upper abdominal pain are increasing, you should consult your family doctor or the doctor who prescribed the medication. If necessary, the dosage may have to be increased or changed to another medication. In some cases, however, a further examination should first be carried out, for example by taking a blood sample. Under no circumstances, however, should you change the medication of omeprazole or stop taking the drug yourself if the effect of the drug wears off.

Can omeprazole be taken during pregnancy?

Omeprazole is usually one of the drugs allowed in pregnancy. However, the doctor who prescribes the drug should be informed of the existence of the pregnancy. He will then consider whether or not prescribing omeprazole is appropriate.

Often, symptoms can also be alleviated by other measures such as sleeping with a raised upper body or avoiding coffee and other acid-promoting foods. In principle, no medication should be taken without a doctor’s prescription or recommendation, especially during pregnancy. This topic might also be of interest to you: Heartburn during pregnancy

Further proton pump inhibitors

Currently, there are four other proton pump inhibitors on the market besides omeprazole, which hardly differ in their mode of action and side effects. These include:

• Pantoprazole (Pantozol®)
• Lansoprazole (Agopton®)
• Rabeprazole (Pariet®)
• Esomeprazole (Nexium®)