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Esomeprazole
Esomeprazole is a medication used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease, H. pylori infections, and other conditions. It belongs to a class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors, which decrease the amount of acid in your stomach by blocking the acid production sites. The medication is typically taken once a day. Potential side effects of esomeprazole include nausea, headaches, and diarrhea.
Esomeprazole (marketed under the brand name Nexium®) is a medication that is used to treat a number of conditions within the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Nexium is also known as "the purple pill" because it is a purple capsule with two or three gold rings, depending on the strength.
Esomeprazole is manufactured by AstraZeneca and sold under the brand name Nexium.
This medication is licensed to treat a number of conditions. These uses include:
- Treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Treatment of erosive esophagitis
- Prevention of stomach ulcers in people taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen
- Treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections
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Treatment of pathological hypersecretory conditions (in which stomach acid is greatly overproduced), such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Esomeprazole is part of a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). It decreases the amount of acid in your stomach by blocking the acid production sites.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD