Pantoprazole is in a group of drugs called proton pump inhibitors. It decreases the amount of
acid produced in the stomach.
Pantoprazole is used to treat erosive esophagitis (damage to the esophagus from stomach acid),
and other conditions involving excess stomach acid such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Pantoprazole may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking pantoprazole?
Do not take this medication if you are allergic to pantoprazole. Before taking pantoprazole,
tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs.
Some conditions must be treated long-term with pantoprazole. The chronic use of pantoprazole
has caused stomach cancer in animal studies, but it is not known if this medication would have the same
effects in humans. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk of developing stomach cancer.
Long-term treatment with pantoprazole may also make it harder for your body to absorb
vitamin B-12, resulting in a deficiency of this vitamin. Symptoms of a vitamin B-12 deficiency may
develop slowly and include pale skin, weakness, tired feeling, shortness of breath, and a fast heart rate.
Talk with your doctor if you need long-term pantoprazole treatment and you have concerns about
vitamin B-12 deficiency.
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn
baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether pantoprazole passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing
baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How should I take pantoprazole?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger
amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your
prescription label.
Pantoprazole can be taken with or without food.
Do not crush, chew, or break a
delayed-release
(enteric-coated) tablet.
Swallow the pill whole. The enteric-coated pill has a special coating to protect your stomach. Breaking
the pill could damage this coating, causing too much of the drug to be released at one time.
The
oral granules
should be mixed only with applesauce or apple juice to
make swallowing easy. Do not use any other type of liquid or soft food. Sprinkle the granules directly
onto a teaspoon of applesauce and swallow this mixture right away without chewing. Or pour the
granules into a cup with 1 teaspoon of apple juice, stir for 5 seconds and swallow right away. To make
sure you get the entire dose, add a little more apple juice to the same glass, swirl gently and drink right
away. Do not save the granule mixture for later use.
To give pantoprazole granules through a nasogastric (NG) feeding tube:
Attach a 60-milliliter syringe to the NG tube and remove the
plunger. Hold the syringe high enough to prevent any bends in the tube.
Sprinkle the pantoprazole granules into the syringe barrel
and mix in 2 teaspoons of apple juice. Gently tap or shake the syringe as it empties into the
tube.
Add another 2 teaspoons of apple juice to the syringe to
help rinse the granules through and to make sure the entire pantoprazole dose is given. Tap or
shake the syringe as the juice empties into the tube.
Repeat the rinse with 2 teaspoons of apple sauce at least
twice more, gently shaking the syringe as it empties into the tube. Make sure there are no
granules remaining in the syringe or NG tube.
Do not stop taking pantoprazole even if you begin to feel better. Your
symptoms may improve before the condition is fully treated. Call your doctor if your condition does not
improve after 8 weeks of treatment.
Store pantoprazole at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose of pantoprazole?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the
missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time.
Do not
take
extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Where can I get more information about pantoprazole?
Your pharmacist has information about pantoprazole written for health professionals that you may read.
What are the possible side effects of pantoprazole?
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these
signs of an allergic
reaction:
hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:
nausea, vomiting;
gas, stomach pain;
diarrhea; or
headache.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your
doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at
1-800-FDA-1088. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What is the most important information I should know about pantoprazole?
Do not stop taking pantoprazole even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may
improve before the condition is fully treated.
Do not crush, chew, or break a
delayed-release
(enteric-coated) tablet.
It is specially made to release the medicine slowly into your body.
The
oral granules
should be mixed only with applesauce or apple juice to
make swallowing easy. Do not use any other type of liquid or soft food. Pantoprazole granules may
also be given with apple juice through a nasogastric (NG ) tube.
Some conditions must be treated long-term with pantoprazole. The chronic use of pantoprazole
has caused stomach cancer in animal studies, but it is not known if this medication would have the same
effects in humans. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk of developing stomach cancer.
Long-term treatment with pantoprazole may also make it harder for your body to absorb
vitamin B-12, resulting in a deficiency of this vitamin. Talk with your doctor if you need long-term
pantoprazole treatment and you have concerns about vitamin B-12 deficiency.
What should I avoid while taking pantoprazole?
Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while
you are using pantoprazole.
What other drugs will affect pantoprazole?
Before taking pantoprazole, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen);
atazanavir (Reyataz);
a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
clopidogrel (Plavix);
ketoconazole (Nizoral); or
iron (Feosol, Mol-Iron, Fergon, Femiron, others).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with
pantoprazole. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use.
This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start
using a new medication without telling your doctor.
What happens if I have an overdose of pantoprazole?
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share
your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
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up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum
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Content provided by Multum - Last Updated 11/10/2009