Rabeprazole Sodium Information
Pronunciation
ra BEP ra zole
What is this drug used for?
• It is used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD; acid reflux).
• It is used to treat heartburn.
• It is used to treat or prevent GI (gastrointestinal) ulcers caused by infection.
• It is used to treat or prevent ulcers of the swallowing tube (esophagus).
• It is used to treat syndromes caused by lots of stomach acid.
• It may be given to you for other reasons. Talk with the doctor.
Frequently reported side effects of this drug
• Headache
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Passing gas
• Sore throat
Other side effects of this drug: Talk with your doctor right away if you have any of these signs of:
• Low magnesium like mood changes; muscle pain or weakness; muscle cramps or spasms; seizures; tremors; lack of appetite; severe nausea or vomiting; or an abnormal heartbeat
• Kidney problems like not able to pass urine, blood in the urine, change in amount of urine passed, or weight gain
• Lupus like rash on the cheeks or other body parts, sunburn easy, muscle or joint pain, chest pain or shortness of breath, or swelling in the arms or legs
• Severe dizziness
• Passing out
• Bone pain
• Chills
• Excessive weight loss
• Severe loss of strength and energy
• Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile (C. diff)-associated diarrhea like abdominal pain or cramps, severe diarrhea or watery stools, or bloody stools
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis like red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin (with or without fever); red or irritated eyes; or sores in mouth, throat, nose, or eyes
• Signs of a significant reaction like wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Medication Safety Issues
Sound-alike/look-alike issues:
AcipHex may be confused with Acephen, Accupril, Aricept, pHisoHex
RABEprazole may be confused with ARIPiprazole, donepezil, lansoprazole, omeprazole, raloxifene
Geriatric Patients: High-Risk Medication:
Beers Criteria: Proton pump inhibitors are identified in the Beers Criteria as potentially inappropriate medications to be avoided (as scheduled use for more than 8 weeks) in patients 65 years and older due to their risk of C. difficile infection and bone loss/fractures unless given for high-risk patients (eg, oral corticosteroid or chronic NSAID use), patients with erosive esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagitis, a pathological hypersecretory condition, or if the patient has demonstrated a need for maintenance therapy (eg, failure of drug discontinuation trial or failure of H2 blockers) (Beers Criteria [AGS 2019]).
Storage and Stability
Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions are permitted between 15°C and 30°C (59°F and 86°F). Protect from moisture.
Adverse Reactions
Cardiovascular: Peripheral edema (adults)
Central nervous system: Dizziness (adults), headache (more common in children and adolescents), pain (adults)
Gastrointestinal: Abdominal pain (more common in children), constipation (adults), diarrhea (more common in children and adolescents), flatulence (adults), nausea (children and adolescents), vomiting (more common in children), xerostomia
Hepatic: Hepatic encephalopathy (adults), hepatitis (adults), increased liver enzymes (adults)
Infection: Infection (adults)
Neuromuscular & skeletal: Arthralgia (adults), myalgia (adults)
Respiratory: Pharyngitis (adults)
Rare but important or life-threatening: Agranulocytosis, anaphylaxis, angioedema, blurred vision, bone fracture, bullous rash, Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea, coma, cutaneous lupus erythematous, delirium, disorientation, erythema multiforme, hemolytic anemia, hepatotoxicity (idiosyncratic) (Chalasani 2014), hyperammonemia, hypomagnesemia, increased thyroid stimulating hormone level, interstitial nephritis, jaundice, leukopenia, pancytopenia, pneumonia (interstitial), polyp (fundic gland), renal disease (chronic; Lazarus 2016), rhabdomyolysis, severe dermatological reaction, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, thrombocytopenia, toxic epidermal necrolysis, vertigo
