Rabeprazole 20mg Tablets

Highlights for rabeprazole :

• Rabeprazole oral tablet is available as both a generic and brand-name drug. Brand name: Aciphex.
• Rabeprazole also comes as an oral capsule. Both the rabeprazole tablet and capsule are delayed-release. This means the medication is slowly released into your body over time.
• Rabeprazole is used to treat several gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. These conditions are caused by high levels of acid produced by the stomach.

Important warnings :

• Severe diarrhea warning - Rabeprazole raises your risk of severe diarrhea. This diarrhea is caused by infection of the intestines by bacteria (Clostridium difficile). Talk to your doctor if you have watery stool, stomach pain, or a fever that doesn’t go away.
• Bone fractures warning - If you take several daily doses of rabeprazole for a long period of time (1 year or longer), your risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, or spine is increased. This drug should be used at the lowest dose possible. It should also be used for the shortest time needed.
• Low magnesium levels warning - Rabeprazole can cause low levels in your body of a mineral called magnesium. This usually happens after 1 year of treatment. However, it can occur after you take rabeprazole for 3 months or longer. Low magnesium levels may not cause any symptoms, but serious side effects can occur. These can include muscle spasms, abnormal heart rhythms, or seizures.
• Cutaneous lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus warning - Rabeprazole can cause cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). CLE and SLE are autoimmune diseases. Symptoms of CLE can range from a rash on the skin and nose, to a raised, scaly, red or purple rash on certain parts of the body. Symptoms of SLE can include fever, tiredness, weight loss, blood clots, heartburn, and stomach pain. If you have any of these symptoms, call your doctor.

What is rabeprazole?

• Rabeprazole oral tablet is a prescription drug that’s available as the brand-name drug Aciphex. It’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less than the brand-name version. In some cases, they may not be available in all strengths or forms as the brand-name drug.
• Rabeprazole also comes as an oral capsule. Both the rabeprazole tablet and capsule are delayed-release forms. This means the medication is slowly released into your body over time.

Why it's used

• Rabeprazole is used to treat several gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. These include:
• Heartburn and other symptoms related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD occurs when acid in your stomach backs up into your esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach). This can cause a burning feeling in the chest or throat, a sour taste in the mouth, or burping.
• Duodenal ulcers (sores in the first part of the small intestine), including ulcers caused by the bacterium H. pylori.
• Conditions that cause the stomach to make too much acid. These include a rare condition called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
• Rabeprazole may be used as part of a combination therapy. This means you may need to take it with other medications. When rabeprazole is used to treat an infection caused by the bacterium H. pylori, it’s used in combination with two antibiotics. These are amoxicillin and clarithromycin.

How it works

• Rabeprazole belongs to a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.
• Rabeprazole works by reducing the amount of acid produced in your stomach.

Rabeprazole side effects :

• Rabeprazole oral tablet doesn’t cause drowsiness. However, it can cause other side effects.
• More common side effects

The more common side effects of rabeprazole can include :

• Headache
• Pain in the abdomen (stomach area)
• Sore throat
• Gas
• Infection
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects
Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following :

• Low levels of magnesium (a mineral). Symptoms can include :
  
  • Seizures
  • Dizziness
  • Irregular or fast heartbeat
  • Jitteriness
  • Tremors (jerking movements or shaking)
  • Muscle weakness
  • Spasms of the hands and feet
  • Cramps or muscle aches
  • Spasm of the voice box, with symptoms such as trouble breathing, coughing, wheezing, hoarse voice, or throat tightness

• Severe diarrhea (caused by infection with C. difficile). Symptoms can include :
  
  • Watery stool
  • Stomach pain
  • Fever

• Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). Symptoms can include :
  
  • Rash on the skin and nose
  • Raised, red, scaly, red or purple rash on your body

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Symptoms can include :
  
  • Fever
  • Tiredness
  • Weight loss
  • Blood clots
  • Heartburn