Pantoprazole
- Class: Proton pump inhibitor
- Used for: heartburn
- Say it: pan-TOH-pruh-zole
- Forms: tablet, granules, injection
A PPI binds the gastric H+/K+ ATPase irreversibly — the final common step of acid secretion, whatever triggered it. An H2 blocker only removes one of the signals upstream, which is why it is weaker.
The stem marks a proton pump inhibitor: it disables the gastric H+/K+ ATPase, the final common step of acid secretion whatever the trigger. That is why it beats an H2 blocker, which only removes one signal upstream. All of them work best 30 to 60 minutes before the first meal. All drug suffixes ›
Side effects
Common: headache, diarrhea, nausea
Serious: low magnesium, C. difficile infection
Typical dose
20–40 mg once daily
Before breakfast. Review long-term use — it is rarely needed for years.
Check yourself
Why is a proton pump inhibitor more effective than an H2 blocker?
- It blocks the final common step of acid secretion, whatever stimulates it
- It neutralises acid already in the stomach
- It works faster after the first dose
- It also kills Helicobacter pylori on its own
Show answer
A. It blocks the final common step of acid secretion, whatever stimulates it
Histamine is only one of several signals telling the parietal cell to secrete; an H2 blocker removes that one. A PPI disables the pump those signals converge on, so acid output falls much further regardless of the trigger.
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