What is Nexium?

Nexium is a medical product which gives an intense antiulcer action and is used for the treatment of gastric and duodenum ulcer.

The symptoms of the gastric ulcer progress in most people due to the increased production of the gastric juice which contains carbohydrate acid and irritates the walls of the gastro-intestinal tract.

Nexium contains the active ingredient Esomeprazole which regulates the production of the gastric juice and prevents the development of ulcers. The pharmacological action of esomeprazole is conditioned by the inhibition of the proton pump in the parietal cells which takes part in the production of the gastric juice.

As a result of the Nexium action, the risk of reaching the carbohydrate acid into esophagus and the appearance of the peptic ulcers is decreased. The medicine regulates the production of the gastric acid during meals and at night, during sleep.

Therapeutic effect of Nexium is quickly developed within 1-1,5 hours after the use. The symptoms such as heart burn, stomachache, vomiting, bleedings disappear (as a result of the decreased irritation of the stomach walls).

Nexium is effective not only in the treatment of the ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum but also in the treatment/prophylaxis of erosive peptic esophagitis.

How to take Nexium?

To achieve a stable therapeutic effect, Nexium should be regularly taken. The length of the treatment is usually 1-2 months within which a pill of Nexium is taken every day.

The optimal daily dose of Nexium is 40 mg for the treatment of the gastric ulcer. The pill is taken entirely with a full glass of water.

Nexium 20 mg per day can be taken within several weeks for the preventive treatment of the stomach and duodenum ulcer. It is required during increased stress, irregular eating, and other factors which may cause acute condition of the ulcer.

Precautions

Before treating ulcer of stomach and duodenum, it is necessary to see a doctor to have complete medical examination. Before taking Nexium, it is necessary to eliminate a possibility of the malignant tumor in the area of the GIT.

Esomeprazole can reduce the tumor symptoms, so that tumor diagnostics will be difficult.

• The Nexium pills contains sucrose, and therefore patients with fructose intolerance may experience allergic reaction
• Nexium is well tolerated by most patients, but the medicine is not recommended children under 12 years old and pregnant women. The negative influence of Nexium on the fetus development is not completely studies yet.

Patients who have pathologic dysfunctions of liver or kidney have to receive individual recommendations of the attending doctor. As a rule, these patients are prescribed a decreased dose, not more than 20 mg per day.

Possible side effects of Nexium

The side effects of Nexium appear in single cases within the first week of the treatment. Often, the side effects appear in organs of the gastro-intestinal tract: nausea, vomiting, stomachache, unpleasant taste in mouth, dry mouth, and bloating. But headache, muscle weakness, and rash are also possible.

All these side effects of Nexium are temporal and are not dangerous to a patient. In case of the persistent side effects within a long time, one should turn to a doctor or a pharmacist.