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Prevacid
Prevacid is a drug used to treat several different conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, erosive esophagitis, and duodenal ulcers. As a proton pump inhibitor, this medication reduces the amount of acid in the stomach by blocking the acid production sites. Some of the more common side effects associated with Prevacid include abdominal pain, constipation, and headache.
Prevacid® (lansoprazole) is a medication that is used to treat a number of conditions within the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. It is available with a prescription as regular Prevacid or over-the-counter (OTC) as Prevacid 24HR.
Prescription brand-name Prevacid is manufactured by TAP Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Nonprescription Prevacid 24HR is made by Novartis Consumer Health, Inc.
This medication is licensed to treat a number of conditions, including:
- Erosive esophagitis
- Duodenal ulcers
- Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections
- Stomach ulcers
- Pathological hypersecretory conditions (such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome).
It is also licensed to treat GERD and erosive esophagitis in children 1 to 17 years of age. The nonprescription form is approved only for the short-term treatment of frequent heartburn in adults.
Prevacid is part of a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which decrease the amount of acid in the stomach by blocking the acid production sites.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD