Rabeprazole
Rabeprazole, sold as Pariet, is a proton-pump inhibitor that reduces stomach acid to treat Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease and Peptic Ulcer Disease. Pariet comes as 20 mg tablets.
Key points
- Rabeprazole is also used alongside antibiotics to eliminate H. pylori bacteria and, in adults, for Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
- Long-term or high-dose use of proton-pump inhibitors may increase the risk of fractures in the wrists, hips or spine.
- Pariet tablets must be swallowed whole: splitting, chewing or crushing them destroys the coating that protects the drug from stomach acid.
How does Rabeprazole work?
Rabeprazole blocks the proton pumps in the stomach lining, the tiny structures that produce hydrochloric acid. With less acid reaching the stomach, the oesophagus and ulcer sites can heal without further irritation. Pariet is formulated as a delayed-release tablet so the drug passes through the stomach intact and is released in the intestine, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream before reaching the pumps.