Pantoprazole: Understanding Uses, Dosage & Side Effects

Pantoprazole is a generic prescription medication available in both an oral and injectable form. Doctors commonly prescribe the drug for the treatment of medical conditions caused by excessive amounts of acid in the stomach.

Function

• Pantoprazole disrupts the last step in the production of stomach acid, which prevents your body from making and secreting the fluid. One dose of pantroprazole continues to limit acid production for more than 24 hours, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Uses

• Pantoprazole is effective at reducing the pain and discomfort of esophageal erosion caused by gastric reflux. It also limits acid production to allow the esophagus to heal. Doctors also prescribe the drug to treat Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a rare condition where pancreatic tumors cause the stomach to produce excess stomach acid.

Dosage

• For oral use in adults, doctors usually recommend 40mg of pantoprazole for use once per day, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine. To relieve the symptoms of esophageal erosion, one course of treatment usually lasts eight months, while longer-term maintenance with the drug may continue for up to one year.

Risks

• Although uncommon, pantoprazole use can result in the formation of stomach tumors when used for long-term treatment, warns the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Considerations

• Because the drug is known to cause fetal harm in laboratory animals, doctors rarely prescribe pantoprazole for use in pregnant women. If you have a history of Vitamin B-12 deficiency, it may not be safe for you to take pantoprazole, cautions the Mayo Clinic.