Can you take pantoprazole 40 mg twice a day?

Drugs.com

Official answer

by Drugs.com

The usual dosage for pantoprazole 40mg is 40mg once a day if you are buying it without a prescription or a physician's evaluation of your symptoms. The only conditions that pantoprazole 40mg twice a day is recommended for are those characterized by excessively high gastric acid secretion such as Zollinger Ellison syndrome, and if you have these conditions then you should be under the care of a physician. Studies have shown that for reflux, dyspepsia, or GERD, dosages higher than 40mg did not offer any further significant lowering of stomach acid than 40mg dosages.

What is wrong with taking pantoprazole 40mg twice a day?

Taking more pantoprazole than recommended, such as pantoprazole 40mg twice a day, is not any more effective than 40mg once a day for GERD symptoms, and can mask more serious underlying conditions, such as severe ulcers or reflux disease. In addition, there is a higher risk of side effects.

If you find you have to increase your dose of pantoprazole to relieve your symptoms, then you should ask your physician for a full check-up, especially if one of the following applies to you:

  • age ≥50, or ≥40 years and of African, Hawaiian, Pacific, or Asian descent with stomach symptoms
  • have someone in your family who has, or has had, gastric cancer and was younger than 50
  • have symptoms that are severe, persistent, occur at night, or include an ongoing cough
  • have blood in your stools, or your stools look black or tarry
  • are vomiting regularly, or there is blood in your vomit
  • have difficulty swallowing or can feel a lump in your torso
  • have previously had a stomach ulcer or taken aspirin, NSAIDs, or prednisone
  • you seem iron deficient
  • have lost weight recently for no apparent reason.

    • Related medical questions

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords