What is Prilosec (omeprazole) used for?

Prilosec is a prescription and over-the-counter medicine used to treat conditions that involve excessive stomach acid production, such as GERD—gastroesophageal reflux disease—a condition in which there is a backflow of stomach acid into the esophagus or food pipe, heartburn, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, and rare digestive disorders like Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (hypersecretory conditions). 

How does Prilosec (omeprazole) work?

Prilosec is a proton pump inhibitor. These medications work by preventing specific stomach cells from pumping acid into the stomach. By decreasing the amount of acid your stomach makes, Prilosec relieves symptoms of heartburn. It can also help to heal a damaged esophagus and stomach and prevent the formation of ulcers.  

 What are Prilosec (omeprazole) doses?

Prilosec is available as tablets, capsules, and packets. Typical Prilosec doses are 10 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg tablets or capsules and 2.5 mg and 10 mg packets. In addition, Prilosec comes in delayed-release forms—this ensures the medicine is released in the intestines and is not broken down by stomach acids.

Typical dosing for Prilosec (omeprazole):

• Heartburn (OTC product): take 20 mg by mouth once daily for 14 days. If needed, the treatment may be repeated for another 14 days. However, you should not repeat a 14-day Prilosec course more than once every four months unless advised by your doctor.
• Duodenal ulcer: 20 mg by mouth once daily for 4-8 weeks.
• Helicobacter Pylori (H.Pylori) infection: 
• Dual therapy: 40 mg by mouth once daily for 14 days in combination with clarithromycin. 
• Triple therapy: 20 mg by mouth twice a day for 10 days in combination with amoxicillin and clarithromycin. 
• Gastric ulcer: 40 mg by mouth once daily for 4-8 weeks.
• GERD: 20 mg by mouth once daily for 4 weeks.
• Erosive esophagitis: begin with 20 mg by mouth once daily for 4-8 weeks, then the same dosing regimen can be continued for up to a year for esophagus healing.
• Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (hypersecretory conditions): initial dosing is 60 mg by mouth once daily; this dose may vary depending on clinical response to the medication.