Lansoprazole

What is Lansoprazole

Lansoprazole is a generic medication that is used to treat heartburn and other gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) symptoms. It belongs to a group of medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) that work by reducing the amount of stomach acid your body produces.

Lansoprazole is available in hard capsules that you swallow or as an orodispersible tablet that dissolves on the tongue and releases microgranules that are swallowed. You may find the latter a more suitable option if you have difficulty swallowing tablets or capsules. Lansoprazole orodispersible tablets are also available under the brand name Zoton FasTab.

What is Lansoprazole Used For?

Lansoprazole is used to reduce stomach acid production and treat acid-related conditions, such as:

• Acid reflux and GORD: Relieves GORD, heartburn, and indigestion by reducing acid production.
• Stomach and intestinal ulcers: Helps heal and prevents stomach and duodenal ulcers.
• H. pylori infection: Can be combined with antibiotics to treat Helicobacter pylori and prevent ulcers from returning.
• NSAID-induced ulcers: If you regularly use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen or naproxen, lansoprazole can treat and prevent ulcers they can cause.
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: Lansoprazole can be taken to treat rare conditions that cause the stomach to produce too much acid.

How Does Lansoprazole Work?

Lansoprazole works by reducing stomach acid production. It does this by acting on the tiny proton pumps in the stomach lining. By blocking these pumps, lansoprazole stops them from secreting acid into the stomach and helps to reduce irritation. Together, this helps relieve symptoms like heartburn and gives damaged tissues in the stomach, oesophagus, and duodenum (small intestine) time to heal.

How Long Does Lansoprazole Take to Work?

Most people find that their symptoms improve within 2 to 3 days of starting lansoprazole, but it can take up to 4 weeks to feel the full benefits, especially if you have damaged cells or stomach or duodenal ulcers.

How Effective is Lansoprazole for Heartburn?

Clinical trials have shown that lansoprazole effectively relieves heartburn by reducing stomach acid production. A single oral dose of 30mg of lansoprazole has been shown to reduce acid secretion by around 70% and can relieve symptoms as soon as the first dose is taken.

In another study, lansoprazole was shown to maintain remission from erosive oesophagitis, a condition that causes inflammation and wearing away of the inner lining of the oesophagus, in 75% of people. By the end of the study, 94 to 95% of people had no or mild heartburn symptoms during the day or night. The study showed that lansoprazole is effective and well tolerated for long-term use.

How to Take Lansoprazole

How you take lansoprazole will depend on whether you are taking hard capsules or orodispersible tablets. However, you'll usually take it once per day, usually first thing in the morning. Take it exactly as your clinician has prescribed.

How to Take Lansoprazole Gastro-Resistant Capsules

Swallow the gastro-resistant capsule whole with a glass of water. It is important that you do not crush or chew the capsule, as this could stop the active ingredient from working properly. If you have been prescribed lansoprazole once per day, you should take it at the same time every day. For best results, take it first thing in the morning. Ensure that you take it 30 minutes before food.

If you have been prescribed lansoprazole twice a day, you should take one dose in the morning and one dose in the evening.

How to Take Lansoprazole Orodispersible Tablets

Similar to the gastro-resistant capsules, you'll usually be prescribed lansoprazole orodispersible tablets once a day. Try to take them at the same time each day, but you'll likely get the best results if you take them first thing in the morning. Take them 30 minutes before food.

Lansoprazole orodispersible tablets break easily, so it is important to handle them carefully and avoid touching them with wet hands, as they may break up.

Lansoprazole orodispersible tablets are available in push-through or peelable blister packs. To take lansoprazole orodispersible tablets, you should:

1. For peelable blisters: Hold the blister strip at the edges and separate one blister cell from the rest of the strip by gently tearing along the perforations.
2. Carefully peel the backing off. For non-perforated blisters, take care not to peel off the backing of the adjacent tablets.
3. Gently push the lansoprazole tablet out.
4. Place the tablet on your tongue and allow it to dissolve so you can swallow it easily.

Lansoprazole can also be taken using an oral syringe or a nasogastric tube. If you have been prescribed lansoprazole in this way, please read the Patient Information Leaflet for more information.

Lansoprazole Dosage Information

Lansoprazole may be prescribed in several doses depending on why you are taking it. The usual lansoprazole doses are as follows:

If You Forget to Take Lansoprazole

If you forget to take lansoprazole, take it as soon as you remember unless it is nearly time for your next dose. If it is, skip the missed dose and take the remaining capsules or orodispersible tablets as normal. You must not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

If You Take Too Much Lansoprazole

If you take too much lansoprazole, contact your doctor for advice straight away.

If You Stop Taking Lansoprazole

If your symptoms have improved, do not stop treatment early, as your condition may not have fully healed and may return if you do not finish your course of treatment.

If you have concerns about your treatment, speak to your clinician for advice.

Lansoprazole Side Effects and Cautions

Lansoprazole has the potential to cause side effects in some people. However, you should read the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with your medication and discuss any concerns with your clinician. Understanding the potential adverse effects of lansoprazole will help you manage them better and know when you may need to get medical attention.

Potential Side Effects of Lansoprazole

Lansoprazole does not cause side effects in everyone, and when it does, they are often mild, temporary, and easy to manage at home. The side effects are similar whether you take the gastro-resistant capsules or orodispersible tablets because they contain the same active ingredient.

More details about the possible side effects of Lansoprazole can be found within the Patient Information Leaflets enclosed with the medication. The above table does not cover more rare adverse reactions or those where the frequency cannot be estimated from the available data, so checking these leaflets is essential.

If you experience any side effects while taking Lansoprazole gastro-resistant capsules or orodispersible tablets, you can report them to your clinician or via the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme. Doing so could help provide more information about the medication's safety profile.

When to See a Doctor

You should stop taking lansoprazole immediately and contact your doctor or go to A&E if you get any of the following side effects:

• Severe allergic reactions: symptoms include fever, rash, swollen face, swollen lymph nodes, swollen tongue and/or throat, difficulty swallowing or breathing, hives, and a drop in blood pressure
• Severe skin reactions that can be life-threatening: reddish target-like, circular patches on the trunk, often with central blisters, skin peeling, mouth ulcers, throat, nose, genitals, and eyes. You may also get flu-like symptoms and fever before these symptoms occur
• Widespread rash, high body temperature, and enlarged lymph nodes
• Low white blood cells: Recurrent infections, infection with fever, or fever with local infection symptoms, such as sore throat/pharynx/mouth or urinary problems, or experience tiredness, pale skin with unexplained bruising or bleeding for longer than normal and requires medical attention
• Inflamed pancreas: sudden, severe pains in the middle of the upper abdomen that may radiate to the back, which may lead to nausea and vomiting
• Severe or persistent diarrhoea: Can be a sign of infectious diarrhoea
• Kidney inflammation: Reduced urine output or blood in your urine

Lansoprazole and Magnesium Levels

If you take lansoprazole for more than three months, it can cause low magnesium levels in your blood. Symptoms of low magnesium include:

• Fatigue
• Involuntary muscle contractions
• Disorientation
• Convulsions
• Dizziness
• Increased heart rate

If you get any of these symptoms, you must tell your doctor straight away. Low magnesium levels can also cause a reduction in potassium or calcium levels in the blood, so you may need regular blood tests to monitor your magnesium levels.

Lansoprazole Interactions and Warnings

Although Lansoprazole is an effective treatment for heartburn, it may not be suitable for everyone. It could interact with other medicines you are taking or be unsafe if you have certain medical conditions or intolerances. For example, you should not take the treatment if you are allergic to lansoprazole or any of the other ingredients in the treatment.

Precautions Before Taking Lansoprazole

Before taking lansoprazole, tell the clinician if you:

• Have severe liver disease
• Are due to have a specific blood test called chromogranin A
• Have ever had a skin reaction after treatment with a similar medication that reduces stomach acid
• Have a condition called phenylketonuria (PKU)
• Have low levels of vitamin B12 or risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency, especially if you are going to take lansoprazole long term
• Have osteoporosis or are taking corticosteroids

Lansoprazole and Other Medicines

Before taking lansoprazole, you should tell your clinician if you are taking any prescribed, over-the-counter, or herbal medications because they may interact with each other. You should especially let them know if you are taking:

• HIV protease inhibitors such as atazanavir and nelfinavir
• methotrexate (used to treat autoimmune disease and cancer)
• ketoconazole, itraconazole, rifampicin (used to treat infections)
• digoxin (used to treat heart problems)
• warfarin (used to treat blood clots)
• theophylline (used to treat asthma)
• tacrolimus (used to prevent transplant rejection)
• fluvoxamine (used to treat depression and other psychiatric diseases)
• antacids (used to treat heartburn or acid regurgitation)
• sucralfate (used for healing ulcers)
• St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) (used to treat mild depression)

Driving and Using Machines

Some people experience symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, tiredness, and visual disturbances when taking lansoprazole. If you experience any of these side effects, consider avoiding driving or operating machinery until they pass and you feel better.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

If you are pregnant, thinking of getting pregnant, or breastfeeding, you should speak to a doctor before taking lansoprazole. Although it may be possible to take lansoprazole during pregnancy, you'll usually be prescribed omeprazole instead because there is more known about the safety of omeprazole during pregnancy.

Lansoprazole can usually be taken when breastfeeding, but it is best to check with a doctor first because a small amount of the medication can pass into your breast milk. For this reason, you may be prescribed omeprazole or pantoprazole instead.

How to Buy Lansoprazole

Lansoprazole is a prescription-only medication that can only be obtained with a valid prescription from a registered clinician, either privately or via the NHS. It cannot be bought without a prescription.

Can You Buy Lansoprazole Over the Counter?

No, lansoprazole is strictly a prescription-only medication, which means it cannot be bought over the counter. However, alternative over-the-counter heartburn medications are available, including a low-dose 20 mg pantoprazole tablet, but you will still need a short consultation with a pharmacist so they can check that it is safe for you.

Can You Get Lansoprazole on the NHS?

Yes, you can get lansoprazole on the NHS, but you will need a prescription from a healthcare professional to get it. You'll need to make an appointment with your GP to discuss your symptoms so they can assess whether lansoprazole is suitable for you. If it is, you'll need to pay the current NHS prescription charge if you pay for your prescriptions.

Can You Buy Lansoprazole Online?

Yes, you can buy lansoprazole online from a registered UK online pharmacy service like Prescription Doctor. To get it, you'll need to complete a short online medical questionnaire for our clinician to review to ensure it is safe for you.

If it is, we will dispatch your medication in plain, discreet packaging to maintain your confidentiality, and you can receive it as early as the next day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lansoprazole