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 | We've all had heartburn from time to time -- after eating one too many slices of pizza, or over-indulging in that homemade salsa, or overdoing it at Thanksgiving dinner. Many of us have taken medications for heartburn, most of which are now available over-the-counter (OTC) and without a prescription. Heartburn medications include calcium carbonate that neutralizes stomach acid, such as Rolaids and Tums, antihistamines such as Tagamet, Zantac and Pepcid, as well as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as Prilosec and Prevacid -- all of which are OTC. While we typically think of OTC medications as safe (and they generally are), any medication can cause an allergic reaction. There are many reports of allergic reactions to PPIs, which are becoming popular for the occasional use of heartburn, as evidenced by a number of direct-to-consumer advertisements on television and in print media. However, just because some people experience allergic reactions to PPIs doesn't mean that other people can't safely use them -- and in fact, many people with allergic reactions to one PPI may be able to tolerate another one. | |
Allergic Reactions to PPIs
Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly-used medications for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, as well as for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections. PPIs act to block acid pumps in the stomach, thereby decreasing acid production, and are very effective at treating a wide variety of acid-related gastrointestinal diseases. There are a number of proton pump inhibitors available on the market, including omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), pantoprazole (Protonix), rabeprazole (Aciphex) and lansoprazole (Prevacid). Generally, PPIs are very safe medications with few side effects. This is likely the reason that omeprazole and lansoprazole are available over-the-counter/without a prescription (as of the date of this article being written, esomeprazole, pantoprazole and rabeprazole are available only by prescription).
| Medication Allergies
Reactions to medication are extremely common. In fact, 15-30% of all hospitalized patients will experience an unintended reaction as a result of medications. However, true allergic reactions to medications only occur in about 1 of 10 of all adverse drug reactions.
| What is an Allergic Reaction?
I see patients in my clinic everyday who tell me that they've had an allergic reaction. However, this term means different things to different people. Most people will say that they experienced a skin rash, such as hives or tongue, lip or throat swelling, as part of their allergic reaction. Others say that their allergic reaction caused them to sneeze and have a runny nose, or have an asthma attack. The most serious form of allergic reactions is anaphylaxis, which involves a "whole body" allergic reaction, not just the skin, and can be life-threatening.
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