Patient/caregiver was instructed upon therapeutic uses of omeprazole as follows:
- Acid in the stomach, when produced in excess, can result in abdominal pain and burning sensation in the stomach. This can also result in poor digestion of food with bloating, belching, and abdominal fullness with discomfort.
- Excess acid production in the stomach can also result in erosion of inner lining of stomach and duodenum, contributing to development of gastric and duodenal ulcers.
- Acid produced in the stomach can also get washed up into the duodenum, resulting in GERD, with symptoms of heartburn, chest pain, abdominal discomfort, and burning sensation in the throat.
- Omeprazole inhibits the proton pump in the stomach, which is a mechanism needed for secretion of acid in the stomach.
- By reducing the amount of acid secreted, omeprazole helps with relief from symptoms of heartburn, dyspepsia, and GERD.
- Omeprazole can be used in combination with antibiotics, to treat peptic ulcers secondary to H. pylori infection. The reduced acid secretion with omeprazole can contribute to healing of the ulcers.
