Rabeprazole
Description
Rabeprazole is anti-ulcer medicine used to treat conditions where your stomach produces too much acid. It relieves stress ulcers and also acidity due to the intake of painkillers. Rabeprazole is used along with antibiotics to prevent ulcers. It is available on prescription as a tablet, capsule, injection and sachet.
Rabeprazole interferes with the final step of acid release in your stomach. Thus, acidity in your stomach is decreased, and the ulcer healing process is fastened.
Rabeprazole may show some side effects like nausea, vomiting, headache, stomach pain, diarrhoea, and dizziness. These symptoms are mild and resolve with time. The chance of side effects may increase if you use this medication for a longer period (more than one year). Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to it.
Rabeprazole can be taken one hour before a meal, preferably in the morning. The dose will be determined by your doctor. Take it at the same time every day for the ease of remembering.
Rabeprazole usage is advisable after informing your doctor about all your current medications and if you have any medical conditions like liver, kidney or heart problems. Pregnant women and mothers who are breastfeeding are advised to consult their doctors before taking this medicine.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Rabeprazole
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dizziness
- Sore throat
- Diarrhoea
- Headache
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Dizziness
- Insomnia
- Excessive air or gas in stomach
Uses of Rabeprazole
What is it prescribed for?
- Erosive Esophagitis
- Gastroesophagal Reflux Disease
- Helicobacter pylori Infection
- Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome
- Gastric and duodenal ulcers
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe amount of time required for Rabeprazole to show its action may vary depending on the dose form. However, the medicinal effect will be seen within one hour and you may start to feel better in 2-3 days and it may take 4-5 weeks for complete relief.
- Duration of effectAfter taking it, the effect of Rabeprazole remains in your body for an average duration of 24 hours.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported for Rabeprazole.
- Usage in pregnancy?Rabeprazole is usually not recommended in pregnant women. It is not known to cause any birth defects. However, it should only be used only upon your doctor's recommendation.
- Usage while breast-feeding?It is not known if Rabeprazole passes into breast milk. If you are breastfeeding, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
Allergy
Avoid taking Rabeprazole if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of allergic reactions such as skin rash, itching/swelling of your face/tongue/throat, breathing difficulties, etc.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Rabeprazole is usually not recommended in pregnant women. It is not known to cause any birth defects. However, it should only be used only upon your doctor's recommendation.
Breast-feeding
It is not known if Rabeprazole passes into breast milk. If you are breastfeeding, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
General warnings
Lupus erythematosus
Lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that affects your skin, kidneys, brain, joints, and other organs. It occurs when the immune system attacks its own tissues. Lupus may occur or gets worse while using Rabeprazole. Inform your doctor immediately if you experience tiredness, painful joints, rashes, or lesions on the skin while using this medicine.
Bone fractures
Long term use of Rabeprazole decreases the calcium absorption in your body leading to reduced bone density (thinning of bones). Calcium is essential for bone formation and its deficiency can increase the risk of bone fractures. Take calcium supplements or increase the intake of calcium in your diet to avoid bone thinning. Using Vitamin D supplements along with Rabeprazole can help to increase calcium absorption in your body.
Hypomagnesemia
Prolonged use (more than three months) of Rabeprazole may result in hypomagnesemia (low magnesium levels in your blood). Inform your doctor in case of dizziness, irregular heartbeat, shivering, muscle pain, seizures or fits. Your doctor may advise you to monitor your blood magnesium levels at regular intervals.
Driving or operating machinery
Rabeprazole may occasionally cause drowsiness. Hence, avoid performing any activities that require high mental alertness like driving vehicles or operating machines until you know how the medicine affects you.
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Long-term treatment with Rabeprazole may decrease the absorption of Vitamin B12 in your body. You should take vitamin B12 supplements if this medicine is used for more than 3 years.
Kidney and liver problems
Rabeprazole should be used carefully if you have either kidney or liver problems. As the medicine can be accumulated in the body and is excreted slowly. Therefore caution should be maintained. Inform your doctor if you have any such problems.
Missed Dose
Oral forms: If you missed a dose of Rabeprazole, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next, skip the missed dose. Do not take two doses together to make up for a missed dose.
Injection: Rabeprazole is given in the hospital or clinical setting by a qualified healthcare professional, the likelihood of a missed dose is very low.
Overdose
Oral forms: Never take more than the prescribed dose of Rabeprazole. If you suspect that you might have taken an overdose of this medicine, go to the nearer emergency medical department/hospital.
Injection: Since Rabeprazole is administered by a healthcare professional, it is very unlikely to have an overdose. In case if that happens, your doctor will immediately start overdose protocol and will do all necessary treatments to restore your health.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Warfarin
Nelfinavir
Digoxin
Furosemide
Fluconazole
Methotrexate
Disease interactions
Liver Disease
If you have any liver problems, take Rabeprazole with caution. This medicine is broken down in the liver and if your liver is not functioning properly, it can lead to the accumulation of its metabolites and toxicity in your body.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a bone disorder in which your bones become weak and fragile. Long term use of Rabeprazole can reduce bone density (thinning of bones). Calcium is essential for bone formation. This medicine decreases calcium absorption in your body leading to calcium deficiency. This can increase the risk of bone fractures, especially if you have osteoporosis.
Take calcium supplements or increase the intake of calcium in your diet to avoid bone thinning. Using Vitamin D supplements along with Rabeprazole can help to increase calcium absorption in your body.
Colitis
The use of Rabeprazole may result in diarrhoea (loose stools). If you have gastrointestinal (digestive tract) disorders, especially colitis (swelling of the inner lining of the colon), use this medicine with extreme caution since it might induce severe diarrhoea.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Rabeprazole is used for reducing stomach acid production. Rabeprazole usage makes you feel better in 2-3 days and gives complete relief in 4-5 weeks.
Oral forms: Take rabeprazole as instructed by your doctor. Avoid spicy and fatty foods, alcohol, and reduce caffeinated drinks or beverages such as coffee, tea and cola while using this medicine. Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Always try to finish your dinner three hours before heading to bed.
Injection: Rabeprazole should be given by a qualified healthcare professional in the clinical or hospital setting.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Rabeprazole reduces the production of stomach acid. It stops the action of the proton pumps that are found on cells that line your stomach and decreases stomach acid production.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Anti-Ulcer Agents, Proton pump inhibitors
Schedule
Schedule H
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Medlineplus.gov. 2020. Rabeprazole: Medlineplus Drug Information. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 12 January 2021].
CiplaMed. 2021. RABICIP I.V. Injection. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 12 January 2021].
Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. Rabeprazole. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 24 February 2021].
Medicines.org.uk. 2020. PARIET 20Mg - Summary Of Product Characteristics (Smpc) - (Emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 12 January 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 27 Sep 2021
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.