Member-only story
THE PHARMACY
Drug Lesson #2: Omeprazole
It’s time for another drug lesson! This medication is pretty standard in the pharmacy world; at least 53.4 million prescriptions of omeprazole are prescribed yearly. Today, I will provide all the information you need to know about this drug, including helpful counseling points!
What is omeprazole?
Omeprazole belongs to a class of medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Another name for a proton pump is H+/K+ ATPase. Let’s break this down: an ATPase is a type of enzyme that uses ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to do its job. An H+/K+ ATPase is an enzyme that uses ATP to transport H+ (hydrogen) out of the cell and K+ (potassium) into the cell.
The proton pump will transport H+ from the parietal cell to the stomach lumen. Since hydrogen is technically a single proton, a whole bunch of hydrogens in one place can create a very acidic environment. The pH of the stomach is between 1 and 3, which makes it one of the most acidic environments in your body. Omeprazole inhibits this enzyme, so no H+ is getting into the stomach.
When do we use it?
The FDA approved omeprazole for conditions such as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), ulcers, and Helicobacter pylori infections.
