Omepal 20 Tablet belongs to the class of drugs known as Proton pump inhibitor (PPIs), which reduces the amount of acid your stomach makes. It treats gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach ulcer, and Zollinger Ellison syndrome (overproduction of acid due to pancreatic tumour).

Omepal 20 Tablet contains omeprazole, which helps reduce stomach acid by blocking the actions of an enzyme (H+/K+ ATPase or gastric proton pump). This proton pump lies in the stomach wall cells and is responsible for releasing gastric acid secretion. Omepal 20 Tablet prevents the release of stomach acid and relieves symptoms of food pipe lining inflammation (esophagitis), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or heartburn.

Omepal 20 Tablet is taken with food in a dose and duration as advised by the doctor. Your dose will depend on your condition and how you respond to the medicine. An adult taking Omepal 20 Tablet might have common side effects like stomach pain, gas formation (flatulence), nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and headache. Respiratory system problems can be reported in some children (more than 1 year) using Omepal 20 Tablet. These side effects are temporary and may get resolved after some time; however, if this side persists, contact the doctor.

Omepal 20 Tablet should not be given to the patient suffering from Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea. Omepal 20 Tablet is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers but should be taken only after consulting a doctor. Tell your doctor if you have stomach or intestinal cancer, liver problem, are allergic to Omepal 20 Tablet, or will have an endoscopy in the future. Ask your doctor if you should stop taking Omepal 20 Tablet a few weeks before your endoscopy as it may hide some of the problems that would be spotted during an endoscopy. Prolonged use of Omepal 20 Tablet may be associated with an increased risk for osteoporosis-related fractures of the hip, wrist or spine due to loss of magnesium. Avoid using Omepal 20 Tablet with St John’s Wort (plant-based antidepressant), rifampin (antibiotic) and methotrexate (anti-cancer and anti-arthritis medicine) due to the severe drug interaction.

Omepal 20 Tablet is effective at healing erosive esophagitis (inflammation of food pipe), relieving symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (heartburn), and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, stomach ulcers. Omepal 20 Tablet works by irreversibly blocking the proton pump gate (which secretes stomach acid). It can be prescribed to all age groups, including special populations like the elderly, pregnant mothers, and kidney and liver disease patients. Usually, no dosage adjustment is required for these groups. It should not be given to children less than one year of age as no clinical studies have been done.

Omepal 20 Tablet should not be given to the patient suffering from Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea. Omepal 20 Tablet is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers but should be taken only after consulting a doctor. Tell your doctor if you have stomach or intestinal cancer, liver problem, are allergic to Omepal 20 Tablet or will have an endoscopy in the future. Ask your doctor if you should stop taking Omepal 20 Tablet a few weeks before your endoscopy as it may hide some of the problems that would be spotted during an endoscopy. Prolonged use of Omepal 20 Tablet may be associated with an increased risk for osteoporosis-related fractures of the hip, wrist or spine due to loss of magnesium. Avoid using Omepal 20 Tablet with St John’s Wort (plant-based antidepressant), rifampin (antibiotic) and methotrexate (anti-cancer and anti-arthritis medicine) due to the severe drug interaction.

• Avoid intake of acid or heartburn triggering foods or drinks like onions, peppermint, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, citrus fruits or juices, tomatoes and high-fat and spicy foods.
• Before going to sleep try to raise your bedhead so that your head and chest are higher than your feet. Do not use piles of pillows, instead, one raised block is fine. This will not allow the stomach acid to backflow through your food pipe.
• Avoid taking alcohol and smoking cigarette. Alcohol can raise the level of production of stomach acid leading to heartburn and acid reflux. On the other hand, nicotine smoking damages the valve (sphincter) which prevents backflow of the stomach acid back into the food pipe.
• Include high fibre containing foods, berries, cherries, leafy green veggies (kale, spinach) and black peppers in your meal. These foods are full of antioxidant, calcium and vitamin B 12 that can help cope with the long term effects of the medicine. Fermented dairy products like miso, sauerkraut, and kimchi contain probiotics which help in the prevention of excess stomach acid production. Cranberry juice can be beneficial in the peptic ulcer and H Pyroli infection.
• Avoid regular sitting continuously, as it can increase stomach acid production. Try to take a break of 5 minutes in 1 hour by brisk walking or stretching.

Normally a thick layer of mucous protects the stomach against its own acid secretion. But, in the long run, it gets eroded by excessive stomach acid production leading to complications like GERD, peptic ulcer, and Zollinger Ellison syndrome. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a gastrointestinal disorder that occurs when stomach acid frequently flows back into the food pipe (oesophagus). This backflow (acid reflux) irritates the food pipe that causes heartburn. On the other hand, a peptic ulcer is a painful condition followed by the development of sores or ulcers in the stomach lining or duodenum (first part of the small intestine) (the duodenum). Zollinger Ellison syndrome is a rare condition in which a gastrin-secreting pancreas tumour causes excessive acid production leading to peptic ulcers.