Aciphex, the brand name of the generic rabeprazole, is a prescription medication classified as a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). It is used for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is a disease in which stomach acid flows back up the esophagus. This irritates the lining of the esophagus. GERD symptoms include heartburn, belching and acid reflux. Aciphex is an effective treatment for this disease.
Identification
PPIs such as Aciphex block the release of gastric acid resulting in the blockade of an enzyme, a chemical formed in the body, found in stomach cells. This leads to the suppression of acid secretion for a long period of time. "Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach" explains that Aciphex appears to have a faster onset of action--one hour--and exerts its action for a longer period of time--24 hours--than other PPIs.
Administration
Aciphex is given orally in tablet form to individuals over the age of 18. The dose for the treatment of GERD is 20 mg once a daily for four to eight weeks. Afterwards, if treatment is still necessary, the patient is given 20 mg once daily as a maintenance dose. The medication may be administered with or without food, but works best if taken before breakfast. The tablet is a delayed release tablet, meaning that the drug is meant to be released slowly throughout the day to allow it to work for a longer period of time. This requires a special coating which surrounds the tablet to prevent rapid breakdown in the stomach. Therefore, patients should not crush, split or chew tablet, states the "Drug Information Handbook."
Precautions
Like all medications, Aciphex has several warnings associated with it. Aciphex has shown not to cause birth defects in animal studies, but adequate studies have not been done on humans. For this reason, Aciphex is best avoided during pregnancy unless it is necessary. It is also unknown whether or not the medication is released in breast milk. Aciphex should be used with caution in individuals with severe hepatic impairment, according to the "Drug Information Handbook." Other PPIs, such as omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid) and esomeprazole (Nexium), should not be administered with Aciphex.
Side Effects
Aciphex is a well-tolerated drug that displays side effects in a small percentage of users. Common side effects include headache, occurring in about 2.4 percent of users. Other side effects are rare and occur in less then 1 percent of users; two important adverse effects that physicians should warn their patients about are anaphylaxis and angioedema. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction involving the entire body. Angioedema is swelling of the lips, tongue and throat. Both of these are life-threatening reactions that require immediate medical attention.
Drug Interactions
Aciphex may affect the levels of other medications when administered together. It may increase levels and effects of medications such as citalopram (Celexa), diazepam (Valium), phenytoin (Dilantin), propranolol (Inderal), amiodarone (Cordarone), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), repaglinide (Prandin) and sertraline (Zoloft). Aciphex may decrease the absorption of atazanavir (Reyataz), indinavir (Crixivan), itraconazole (Sporanox) and ketoconazole (Nizoral). To avoid drug interactions, patients should always inform their physician of all the medications they use.
References
- "Drug Information Handbook, 15th Edition"; Lacy, Charles F., Armstrong, Lora L., et al.; 2007
- "Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach"; Dipiro, Joseph T., Talbert, Robert L., et al.; 2008
