What is Rabeprazole?

Health care providers typically prescribe rabeprazole, also known as Aciphex®, for a limited amount of time as treatment for a variety of gastrointestinal disorders. Rabeprazole belongs to a group of medications referred to as proton pump inhibitors. These formulations interfere with the processes that cause the secretion of gastric acid, which can contribute to a number of digestive tract ailments.

Physicians often provide rabeprazole to patients for the symptoms associated with gastroesophageal reflux, also known as GERD. This disorder occurs when stomach acid washes up and invades the esophagus, causing heartburn and indigestion. The condition can eventually lead to erosive esophagitis as the acid irritates and eats away at the delicate lining of the esophagus. Aciphex® aids in healing this condition by reducing the amount of stomach acid produced, which, in turn, minimizes the amount of acid traveling into the esophagus.

Rabeprazole is often prescribed as an antiulcer drug. Peptic ulcers can form in any part of the digestive tract, but frequently occur in the duodenum when gastric acid enters this part of the intestine, which is attached to the bottom of the stomach. By reducing acid production, the intestinal lining is given the opportunity to heal.

This medication might also be provided along with certain antibiotics when bacteria are found to be causing ulcers in the stomach or duodenum. The stomach lining is naturally protected from gastric acid by a layer of mucus, but, bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, commonly referred to as H. pylori, and excessive ingestion of anti-inflammatory medications can erode the protective mucus coating over time. Proton pump inhibiting medications, which include rabeprazole, reduce acid production and subsequent irritation of the area, allowing the inflamed, ulcerated region to recover.

Patients generally take 20 milligrams of rabeprazole once a day, before or after breakfast, on a treatment cycle that typically last four to eight weeks. If adequate healing and symptomatic relief have not occurred after this time frame, another course of treatment might be prescribed. Persons suffering from more serious hypersecretory disorders, including Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, usually receive much higher doses of the medication for a much longer period of time.

Most people experience minor or no side effects while taking rabeprazole. Common adverse reactions to the medication include abdominal discomfort or diarrhea, headache, and insomnia or restlessness. In rare instances, some people have suffered anaphylactic reactions. The medication has few interactions with other medications, but a limited number of patients have experienced increased bleeding times when taking rabeprazole with warfarin.