Pantoprazole is a drug that belongs to the group of proton pump inhibitors. Essentially, it affects both basal and stimulated secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, reducing it and thus, increasing the sensitivity of Helicobacter pylori to antibiotics in duodenal ulcers (Dabrowski et al., 2018). Pharmacodynamics of Pantoprazole is the same as that of other drugs from the group of proton pump inhibitors. These drugs act by selectively inhibiting H+, K+-ATPase in the secretory tubules of parietal cells, thus blocking the final stage of hydrochloric acid secretion (Smith et al., 2020). The stimulus that prompts the secretion is irrelevant to the effect of Pantoprazole, as, like other proton pump inhibitors, Pantoprazole inhibits ATPase only during hydrochloric acid secretion.
Pharmacokinetics of Pantoprazole is also typical for this group of drugs. The duration of action of proton pump inhibitors depends on the rate of regeneration of new proton pumps, and not on how long the drug is present in the body (Jiao et al., 2018). The average half-life of pantoprazole after its single intravenous administration at a dose of 40 mg is about one hour, however, despite this, the suppression of hydrochloric acid secretion persists for about three days (Dabrowski et al., 2018). This is due to the achievement of a certain balance between the number of newly synthesized proton pump molecules and the number of inhibited molecules. The drug undergoes little first-pass metabolism, and its absolute bioavailability is about 77%. Pantoprazole does not accumulate in the body and repeated doses of the drug during the day do not affect its pharmacokinetics.
Overall, Pantoprazole is an effective and safe drug for the control of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It provides fast and stable response to the rising levels of hydrochloric acid and has the additional effect of relieving heartburn and chest pains in patients with GERD (Dabrowski et al., 2018). Moreover, Pantoprazole can also be administered intravenously in case of a stomach bleeding (Jiao et al., 2018). The patient should monitor his GERD symptoms daily to check the intensity of the pain and heartburn related to the disease and register the effectivity of Pantoprazole, as well as maintain a healthy diet. There are few side effects to Pantoprazole; however, the most common include headache, stomach ache, diarrhea, and dermatological reactions (Dabrowski et al., 2018). In case of experiencing significant discomfort related to the intake of Pantoprazole, the patient should reach out to their doctor.
References
Dabrowski, A., Štabuc, B., & Lazebnik, L. (2018). Meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of pantoprazole in the treatment and symptom relief of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease – PAN-STAR.Gastroenterology Review, 13(1), 6–15.
Jiao, H.-W., Sun, L.-N., Li, Y.-Q., Yu, L., Zhang, H.-W., Wang, M.-F., Yu, L.-Y., Yuan, Z.-Q.-Y., Xie, L.-J., Chen, J., Meng, L., Zhang, X.-H., & Wang, Y.-Q. (2017). Safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of s-(−)-pantoprazole sodium injections after single and multiple intravenous doses in healthy Chinese subjects.European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 74(3), 257–265.
Smith, J. S., Kosusnik, A. R., & Mochel, J. P. (2020). A retrospective clinical investigation of the Safety and adverse effects of pantoprazole in hospitalized ruminants.Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7.