Zegerid (omeprazole/sodium bicarbonate)

Please see full prescribing information.

You can obtain additional information about ZEGERID by writing Santarus directly. To speak to a representative by phone or to report an adverse event, call Santarus' Medical Information Department at 1.888.778.0887, option 2 (M-F, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, EST).

Product Description
ZEGERID contains omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), and sodium bicarbonate, an antacid, which raises the gastric pH and thus protects omeprazole from acid degradation.

Indications and Dosing for ZEGERID
ZEGERID is indicated for heartburn and other symptoms associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

(20 mg QD); for the short-term treatment (4-8 weeks) of erosive esophagitis diagnosed by endoscopy (20 mg QD); for maintenance of healing of erosive esophagitis (20 mg QD) (controlled studies do not extend beyond 12 months); for short-term treatment (4-8 weeks) of active duodenal ulcer (20 mg QD); for short-term treatment (4-8 weeks) of active benign gastric ulcer (40 mg QD); and for reduction of risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in critically ill patients (only powder for oral suspension 40 mg QD; use beyond 14 days has not been evaluated).

Since both 20-mg and 40-mg ZEGERID contain the same amount of sodium bicarbonate (1100 mg in capsules,
1680-mg in packets of powder for oral suspension, two 20-mg capsules are not equivalent to, and should not be substituted for, one 40-mg capsule, and two 20-mg packets are not equivalent to and should not be substituted for, one 40-mg packet.

Important Safety Information about ZEGERID
The most frequently reported adverse events with ZEGERID are headache, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. In critically ill patients treated with ZEGERID, adverse events generally reflected the serious, underlying medical condition of the patients, and were similar for patients treated with ZEGERID and with the comparator (acid-controlling) drug. Symptomatic response to therapy does not preclude the presence of gastric malignancy. Atrophic gastritis has been noted occasionally in gastric corpus biopsies from patients treated long term with omeprazole.

ZEGERID Capsules contain 304 mg of sodium per dose. ZEGERID Powder for Oral Suspension contains 460 mg of sodium per dose. This should be taken into consideration for patients on a sodium-restricted diet.

Sodium bicarbonate is contraindicated in patients with metabolic alkalosis and hypocalcemia. ZEGERID is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any component of the formulation.

Since both 20 mg and 40 mg ZEGERID contain the same amount of sodium bicarbonate (1100 mg in capsules,
1680 mg in packets of powder for oral suspension), two 20 mg capsules are not equivalent to, and should not be substituted for, one 40 mg capsule, and two 20 mg packets are not equivalent to, and should not be substituted for, one 40 mg packet.