Do You Know The Consequences Of Omeprazole Abuse?
The abuse of omeprazole and other proton pump inhibitors results in a number of mild adverse effects. However, in a small percentage they are not so.
Omeprazole is a medicine that belongs to the group of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). This group of drugs exerts a powerful inhibition on the acid secretion of the stomach, which gives them great therapeutic efficacy.
In this way, they are able to alleviate symptoms in patients suffering from gastroesophageal reflux or epigastric heartburn. Although they are also useful to prevent potential drug-induced digestive bleeding.
Omeprazole abuse
Due to their own effectiveness, the abuse of omeparzole and of this type of medication has extended beyond its indications. They produce a deep inhibition of acidity that is associated with an effective symptomatic control and rapid healing of the lesions.
However, these drugs are not without potential adverse effects. Although they are infrequent and generally mild, in some cases serious alterations can occur. For this reason, studies have been carried out showing that the chronic use of omeprazole is not totally safe.
Adverse effects of omeprazole abuse
The most common side effects include:
- Headache and dizziness
- Nausea and diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation and flatulence
- Skin rash
Other less frequent adverse effects, but which have been associated with consumption for a long time, are related to the loss of the defensive barrier function of stomach acid. This adverse effect favors changes in the intestinal flora with bacterial overgrowth. There are data that indicate that it could promote infection by Clostridium difficile.
There is also data on an increase in the incidence of yeast infection. Associations with a higher prevalence of pneumonia are not entirely clear, so more and better quality studies would be required to confirm this.
Alterations in the absorption and metabolism of some substances
The abuse of omeprazole, with the consequent hypochlorhydria, is considered a factor that predisposes to alterations in the absorption and metabolism of some substances. There are data that indicate that hypochlorhydria is associated with a difficulty in the absorption of vitamin B12.
It has been observed that there is an increased risk of fractures in chronic users of omeprazole. However, it has not been possible to demonstrate that it is associated with alterations in calcium absorption or with a higher prevalence of osteoporosis.
The excess secretion of gastrin, which is produced by the reduction of gastric acidity, has been related to a possible predisposition to develop gastric or pancreatic cancer. However, there are no data to show that the abuse of omeprazole is associated with an increase in the incidence of these neoplasms.
In any case, it is important that you know that in some people it can lead to strange reactions such as:
- Hypomagnesemia
- Interstitial nephritis
- Chronic kidney damage
- Rhabdomyolysis
Indications for long-term treatment with omeprazole
To avoid the abuse of omeprazole and any drug, it is important to know what their real indications are. The list of indications for treatment with proton pump inhibitors is very long, but in most cases they are limited in time.
The main indications for the chronic use of omeprazole are those in which there is a chronic acid-related disease that requires its suppression, such as:
- Esophagitis
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease that recurs after stopping treatment.
- Barret’s esophagus: considered pre-cancerous.
- Zollinger Ellison disease.
In some of them, such as Barret’s esophagus, omeprazole must be used chronically and is very safe. Chronic use is also indicated in those patients who have a high risk of digestive bleeding, such as older adults or those who have suffered previous bleeding.
Conclution
Omeprazole and other proton pump inhibitors are highly effective and safe drugs in the treatment of gastric acid-related diseases . They are also useful in the prevention of digestive bleeding.
But we must know that most of the indications for treatment with omeprazole do not exceed 6-8 weeks of treatment. Greater use is rare, has precise indications, and can end with adverse effects.
