Ratings & Reviews

Nexium is a protein pump inhibitor which decreases the amount of acid made in the stomach.  It is primarily used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which the backward flow of acid from the stomach causes heartburn and the possible injury of the esophagus.  Nexium treats the symptoms of GERD, allows the esophagus to heal, and prevents further damage to the esophagus.  Nexium is also used to decrease the chance that people who are taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) will develop ulcers in the stomach or intestine.  In addition, Nexium can be used to treat peptic ulcers and conditions where the stomach produces too much acid, such as Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome.  Nexium was first marketed in 2001, and is manufactured by AstraZeneca.

A number of side effects have been linked to Nexium, including: headache, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, dry mouth, blisters, rash, difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, dizziness, and seizures.  Protein pump inhibitors such as Nexium may also be linked to a greater risk for fractures in the hip, wrist or spine.

In 2010, the FDA announced that it was requiring AstraZeneca to include in Nexium’s labeling new warnings about the risk of bone fractures.  The announcement was issued after a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine linked the use of Nexium and similar drugs to a 25% increase in the risk of bone fractures in women who had been using the drugs for a year or more.