Canadian Pharmacy Blog

Among different proton pump inhibitors ( PPIs ) using in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), one medication has more pharmacological and clinical advantages. It is Esomeprazole (Nexium drug) that gives relief in patients with reflux esophagitis. But at this moment we can’t clearly say if differences in the attack of antisecretory activity can influence on the speed of symptom relief with different PPI.

This question was investigated by Dr. Ri-Nan Zheng from China. He studied four gerd medications: Omeprazole, Lansoprazole, Pantoprazole and Esomeprazole drugs. He wanted to find out whether there is any difference in the symptom relief in patients taking the following gerd treatment.

The doctor investigated two hundred and seventy-four patients with erosive reflux esophagitis. They received different doses of drugs every morning, for example  30 mg of lansoprazole, 40 mg of esomeprazole, 20 mg of omeprazole, 40 mg of pantoprazole.

The specialist used a six-point scale (0: none; 1: mild; 2: mild-moderate; 3: moderate; 4: moderate-severe; 5: severe) to estimate the daily changes in heartburn and acid reflux symptoms in patients. It was evident that in patients taking Nexium 40 mg the mean heartburn score decreased more rapidly than those treated with other PPI. In comparison with generic Omeprazole, generic Lansoprazole, and generic Pantoprazole the  heartburn ceased completely in patients treated with Esomeprazole tablets. At week 8 the differences between the four types of treatment of reflux esophagitis were unimportant.

Therefore, when choosing an effective medication for the rapid relief of heartburn symptoms and acid reflux symptoms in patients with reflux esophagitis, one should buy Esomeprazole rather than Omeprazole, Lansoprazole, and Pantoprazole drugs.