Esomeprazole Uses

In the case of esomeprazole, uses of the medication include the treatment of such conditions as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), erosive esophagitis, and stomach ulcers resulting from Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections. Other uses for esomeprazole involve preventing stomach ulcers in people taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

 

Esomeprazole Uses: An Overview

Esomeprazole (sold under the brand name Nexium®) has been licensed to treat a number of conditions. Examples of these esomeprazole uses include the following:
 
  • Treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Treatment of erosive esophagitis
  • Prevention of stomach ulcers in those people taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen
  • Treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections
  • Treatment of pathological hypersecretory conditions (in which stomach acid is greatly overproduced), such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. 
 

Esomeprazole Uses for Treatment of GERD and Erosive Esophagitis

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD for short, is a condition in which stomach acids and other contents of the stomach go back into the esophagus. This can result in GERD symptoms, including the most common symptom of GERD -- heartburn. One of the complications of GERD is erosive esophagitis, which occurs when the lining of the esophagus becomes damaged from the stomach acid.
 
Esomeprazole has been licensed to treat symptoms of GERD, including heartburn. It has also been licensed to treat erosive esophagitis. Once the esophagus has healed, esomeprazole may also be used to prevent the return of erosive esophagitis.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;