PROTONIX (brand name) or
Pantoprazole (generic Protonix) is in a class of drugs
called proton pump inhibitors (PPI) which block the
production of acid by the stomach. Other drugs in the
same class include lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole
(Prilosec) and rabeprazole (Aciphex). Proton pump
inhibitors are used for the treatment of conditions such
as ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a
condition in which backward flow of acid from the
stomach causes heartburn and injury of the food pipe
(esophagus). It is also used to treat conditions where
the stomach produces too much acid, such as Zollinger-Ellison
syndrome. Protonix or generic Protonix, Pantoprazole,
like other proton-pump inhibitors, blocks the enzyme in
the wall of the stomach that produces acid. By blocking
the enzyme, the production of acid is decreased, and
this allows the stomach and esophagus to heal. Protonix
works by decreasing the amount of acid made in the
stomach.
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