Losec Intravenous

Generic Name: Omeprazole
Product Name: Losec Intravenous

Indication

Losec intravenous is used when Omeprazole is required quickly or when use of oral formulation is not possible. It is useful in the following conditions:- duodenal ulcer- gastric ulcer- ulcerative oesophagitis- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome- long-term prevention of relapse of severe reflux oesophagitis- gastric and duodenal ulcers including those caused by H. pylori infection and NSAID use, where oral treatment is not possibleIn all cases, intravenous Losec should be replaced with the oral formulation as soon as possible.

Action

Losec works by inhibiting certain cells involved in acid production to reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach. This reduces erosion of the stomach cells and helps with the pain associated with peptic ulcer disease. It also helps in diseases where too much stomach acid is regurgitated back into the oesophagus. Losec intravenous is used in severely ill patients as it arrives at its site of action more quickly.

Dose advice

Losec intravenous is used when oral Losec is inappropriate, for example if a patient is very ill. It comes in a powder, which will be mixed with a saline or glucose solution and slowly infused intravenously. This is always done by a doctor or nurse. Dosing information is as follows:Duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer and reflux oesophagitis:- 40mg IV once dailyZollinger-Ellison syndrome:- initial dose 60mg IV once daily- dose should be tailored according to symptoms- doses as high as 240mg/day are permitted, however, if the daily dose exceeds 120mg, the medication should be infused in two evenly divided doses

Schedule

Common side effects

The types of side effects seen with Losec intravenous are similar to those associated with the oral preparation. The following are seen in less than 10% of patients:- diarrhoea- constipation- abdominal pain- nausea/vomiting- flatulence- headache