Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of omeprazole after single and repeated oral administration in healthy subjects

1. Ten healthy subjects were given 20 mg omeprazole EC (enteric coated) granules once daily for 8 days. An i.v. tracer dose of [14C]-omeprazole was given simultaneously with the first and last oral doses and blood sampling was performed thereafter. In order to study the extent of absorption at minimal acid exposure, a single dose of 20 mg omeprazole was also given as a buffered solution, before and after the treatment with EC granules. 2. Kinetic parameters of omeprazole after the i.v. tracer dose were unchanged on repeated dosing while AUC increased by approximately 40% for the solution and 60% for the EC granules. 3. The increased AUC is caused by an increased systemic availability, which may be explained by a decreased first-pass elimination during repeated treatment and/or by a reduced degradation of omeprazole in the stomach secondary to the profound decrease in intragastric acidity caused by the drug. 4. The implication of these findings is that the antisecretory effect of therapeutic doses of omeprazole must be studied during repeated administration and not judged from studies using single doses only.