Nursing Teaching on Contraindications for Omeprazole Use

Nurse educated the patient and caregiver on the contraindications for using omeprazole as follows:

  1. Renal disease: Omeprazole is significantly eliminated in urine, by the kidneys. Individuals with renal disease and diminished renal function cannot eliminate omeprazole from their body normally, which allows the medication to be in the blood stream longer, thus increasing the risk for side-effects and toxicity with the medication.
  2. History of lupus erythematosus: Omeprazole intake can increase the risk for exacerbation of symptoms of lupus erythematosus in individuals with history of the same. Patients can present with diffuse skin rashes. Patients can also present with other constitutional symptoms of fever, headache, pain and inflammation of various joints. In individuals with history of lupus, omeprazole use is either discouraged or is administered very carefully with periodical follow-up for any activation of lupus symptoms. Do not use this medication if you have history of allergy or serious side-effects to omeprazole or use of any other medication belonging to proton pump inhibitors group, such as, lansoprazole and pantoprazole.
  3. Liver disease: Omeprazole is mainly metabolized in the liver. If liver function is deficient, metabolism of omeprazole could be slowed down. Slowing down of the drug metabolism can result in increased risk for side-effects and toxicity with the medication.
  4. Malnourishment: A number of vitamins and supplements need acid environment in the stomach, to get absorbed into the body. Acid in the stomach is needed for activation of enzymes needed for digestion of food. Omeprazole use is discouraged in severely malnourished individuals, as the medication compromises the acid environment in the stomach needed for digestion and absorption of nutrients, thus complicating the malnourishment.
  5. Drug Resistance: Omeprazole reduces the absorption of some supplements and medications, such as, vitamin B12, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, some anti-HIV medications, and blood thinners like Plavix, as they need acid environment for their absorption and activity. This results in compromised therapeutic benefits and contribute to development of drug resistance for those medications.