Drug Uses

Aciphex decreases the amount of acid produced in your stomach. Aciphex is used to treat ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD or heartburn), and other conditions involving excessive stomach acid production.

How Taken

Aciphex is available for oral administration as delayed-release, enteric-coated tablets. The recommended adult oral dose is one Aciphex 20 mg delayed-release tablet to be taken once daily for four to eight weeks. Take each dose with a full glass of water. Do not break, chew, or split the tablets. Swallow them whole. They are specially formulated to release slowly in your body.

Warnings/Precautions

Before taking Aciphex, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: ketoconazole (Nizoral), ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen), iron (Feosol, Mol-Iron, Fergon, Femiron, others), digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps), or cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral). You may not be able to take Aciphex, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during your treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above. Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Aciphex. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not "double-up" the dose to catch up.

Possible Side Effects

Serious side effects from Aciphex are rare. Stop taking Aciphex and seek emergency medical attention if you experience an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives) to Aciphex. Less serious side effects from Aciphex are also uncommon. Continue to take Aciphex and talk to your doctor if you experience headache; upset stomach or diarrhea; insomnia or nervousness; or a rash or itching. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Storage

Keep Aciphex out of the reach of children. Store Aciphex at room temperature (between 59°F and 86°F). Protect Aciphex from moisture.

Overdose

Symptoms of an Aciphex overdose are not known. Seek emergency medical attention.

More Information

There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while taking Aciphex, unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Do not stop taking Aciphex even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may improve before your condition is fully treated.

Disclaimer

This drug information is for your information purposes only, it is not intended that this information covers all uses, directions, drug interactions, precautions, or adverse effects of your medication. This is only general information, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It should not be construed as containing specific instructions for any particular patient. We disclaim all responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of this information, and/or any consequences arising from the use of this information, including damage or adverse consequences to persons or property, however such damages or consequences arise. No warranty, either expressed or implied, is made in regards to this information.

Other info about Aciphex at Wikipedia.org and other resources:

rabeprazole, Aciphex
Title: rabeprazole, AciphexCategory: MedicationsCreated: 9/19/2000 10:17:00 PMLast Editorial Review: 1/4/2012 (Source: MedicineNet Senior Health General)

ACIPHEX (Rabeprazole Sodium) Tablet, Coated [Cardinal Health]
Updated Date: Nov 7, 2011 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))

Are Acid Reflux Drugs Overused?
Many people who take popular antacid pills like Aciphex, Dexilant, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, and Protonix don't need them, according to a series of studies presented here at the American College of Gastroenterology's annual meeting. (Source: WebMD Health)

How To Treat GERD
Your physician will usually suggest certain lifestyle modifications and dietary changes first. If you continue to have symptoms after these modifications, your physician will discuss with you the use of antacids neutralize stomach acid (which includes Rolaids, Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, and Gaviscon), H2 blockers (which includes Tagamet, Pepcid, Zantac, and Axid), and Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) (which includes Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, Aciphex, and Protonix). If your physician and you decide a surgical option is needed, the most common surgical treatment for GERD is the fundoplications surgery. Another procedure sometimes used in the treatment of GERD is the radiofrequency treatment.How To Treat GERD originally appeared on About.com Heartburn / GERD on Friday, September 30th, 2011 at 00:2...

Research Says PPIs Increase Risk of Developing C. diff
In a study conducted in Japan, researchers concluded that patients taking proton pump inhibitors (Aciphex, Dexilant, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, and Protonix) were over three times more likely than other patients to develop C. diff. Researchers analyzed data from approximately 500 hospitalized patients. While there may be an increased risk of developing C. diff when taking PPIs, the risk for any person developing this infection is still relatively low. The study showed 19 of 487 PPI users developed C. diff, whereas 4 of 329 patients not taking PPIs developed this infection. How could PPIs increase the risk of C. diff? It is theorized that since PPIs lower stomach acidity, this could allow C. diff in the digestive system to survive when it wouldn't otherwise. While this study doesn...