Action of Pantoprazole

Pantoprazole is often prescribed to alleviate pain for people suffering from severe heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD, or "acid reflux"). It's available only through a doctor's prescription. Pantoprazole differs from many over-the-counter heartburn and acid reflux medications by its distinct method of action.

Function

• According to the Mayo Clinic, pantoprazole decreases the amount of acid produced by the stomach. It provides relief not only for heartburn and acid reflux, but for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Zollinger-Ellison is a disorder that causes the stomach to produce too much acid.

Identification

• Pantoprazole's chemical identity is pantoprazole sodium, states the National Institutes of Health's DailyMed website. Due to this salt formulation, the chemical is freely water-soluble, which helps the action of the drug by allowing it to absorb more freely in the digestive system.

Features

• Pantoprazole can be administered by intravenous injection or taken orally as an extended release tablet. It is metabolized in the body by the liver. The medication reaches its maximum absorption rate--and hence its peak effectiveness--approximately 2 1/2 hours after dosing.

Benefits

• The primary benefit of Pantoprazole is the decreased production of stomach acid, which provides relief from heartburn and burning of the esophagus and throat when acid reflux occurs. According to DailyMed, pantoprazole users do not have to time their doses before or after meals, since food intake does not alter the extent of the medicine's absorption.

Considerations

• Long-term use of pantoprazole may result in a deficiency of vitamin B-12 according to Peace Health. Other side effects of pantoprazole may include nausea, dry mouth, increased urination, and weight loss according to a Mayo Clinic report.