What Is Pantoprazole?
Pantoprazole is a prescription medication that can be purchased under the brand-name Protonix. It belongs to a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors. They work by reducing the release of acid in the stomach. This effect makes it an effective treatment for some conditions that affects the esophagus and stomach, such as erosive esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and acid reflux. Currently, pantoprazole has been approved for use in all adults and children over 5 years old. It can be taken orally as a pill, intravenously into a vein, or orally as a liquid suspension. [1]
Pantoprazole Uses
The U.S. FDA has approved the uses of Pantoprazole for treating some conditions that affects the esophagus and stomach. These include:
– A maintenance therapy to treat erosive esophagitis linked to gastroesophageal reflux disease, which causes damage to the esophagus that is triggered by stomach acid
– Heal damage in the esophagus that is triggered by erosive esophagitis with gastroesophageal reflux disease
– Treat disorders that lead to excessive production of stomach acid, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome [2]