What Are the Uses of an Omeprazole Injection?

An omeprazole injection is used by doctors worldwide to stem the stomach's production of gastric acid. This lower pH eases the symptoms of a variety of disorders, particularly acid reflux disease and ulcers. It reduces inflammation to let the body naturally heal any damage that has been done to areas outside the stomach like the esophagus, where gastric acid is not welcome.

Doctors can either administer an omeprazole injection or prescribe capsules containing hundreds of pellets of crystallized omeprazole, commonly marketed as Prilosec®, Zegerid® and Losec®. If gastroesophageal reflux disease is diagnosed, an antibiotic is also prescribed to do battle with the damaging cells. This is the typical treatment for stomach ulcers too.

An omeprazole injection should lessen all of the typical side effects associated with gastroesophogeal reflux. These include painful symptoms like persistent heartburn, indigestion, hoarse throat, inflamed asthma, earache, foul breath, congestion, lethargy, nausea and involuntary regurgitation, even while not eating. Chronic reflux patients will not always have heartburn, though many will. Most will exhibit most of these symptoms, which should lessen with a regimen of omeprazole. Another possible symptom is angina, which can feel like a light heart attack.

An omeprazole injection helps the medicine reach the pain quickly, but the oral dose appears to be the most prevalent course of treatment in 2011. Over-the-counter versions are also available in lower concentrations. The most prevalent include Prilosec OTC® and Zegerid OTC®. These non-prescription drugs are recommended for those with intermittent heartburn and reflux symptoms, not a chronic condition. Antacids are another common over-the-counter alternative.

One pharmaceutical company, Gastroentero Inc., was approved in early 2011 to produce a prescription capsule that combines omeprazole with the antibiotics amoxicillin and clarithromycin. Those who cannot take penicillin, however, cannot take this drug. Only metronidazole is an approved antibiotic for use with patients sensitive to penicillin.

Not just reflux and ulcers, but also a hormonal disorder called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, can benefit from an omeprazole injection or oral treatment. The treatment itself can cause various problems of its own, though. A rash or itchy skin could develop as potential side effects, as could a headache, stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, fever or a sore throat. Pregnant or breast-feeding women as well as those with heart disease or an allergy to dobutamine should consult a doctor before taking this drug.