Safety profile of omeprazole. Adverse events with short-term treatment

Omeprazole is a very potent inhibitor of gastric acid secretion and has proven to be efficacious in the healing of peptic ulcer and reflux oesophagitis. A search for adverse events during short-term treatment with omeprazole has been made, based on data from published comparative trials, data on file at the manufactor's (Hässle Research Laboratories, Mölndal, Sweden) and personal series. Omeprazole does not show more adverse events than drugs currently widely in use for the treatment of acid-related disorders. A change in a wide range of laboratory parameters has not been observed, except for a rise in basal and meal-stimulated serum gastrin which can be ascribed directly to the inhibition of acid secretion. For short-term treatment omeprazole can be considered as a safe drug.