This letter significantly addresses the overuse of omeprazole nowadays. It is found that the use of junk food and processed food is significantly increasing day by day and emerged as a major public health concern in a new generation that will lead to various gastrointestinal issues, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastric ulcers and other common gastric conditions and present with a symptom of heartburn, acid reflux, and bloating. To mask these symptoms, a commonly used drug named omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), works very efficiently.[1]

Omeprazole, a PPI having a half-life of 0.5- 1 hour, acts by inhibiting the H+/K+ ATPase pump in parietal cells of the stomach mucosa, thus reducing gastric acid secretion.[2]  Besides playing a major role in treating acute and chronic gastric conditions, the overuse of omeprazole can lead to various health complications such as headaches, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and chronic illness, including kidney problems, severe allergic conditions, vitamin B12 deficiency, bone loss, and fractures.[3]

Nowadays, most of the population worldwide repeatedly uses omeprazole without any prescription. Doctors considered it as a first-line drug because it can relieve some of the gastric symptoms, but its adverse effects were left unnoticed, which may lead to serious health complications. Therefore, this letter highlighted the alarming trends of omeprazole to understand their potential risk to health and provide sufficient knowledge to address this issue effectively.

The recent study in a primary care clinic shows that overuse of omeprazole can cause bone-related disorders such as osteopenia, osteoporosis, and also increases the risk of fracture.[4,5] Another study shows that the use of omeprazole with chronic kidney disease can cause hypomagnesaemia that may further disrupt renal function.[6] In the United states, research data reported that omeprazole interferes with the enteric plexus and alters the cognitive functions, mood, and behavior. It can also interfere with gut flora, resulting in decreased metabolic functions and altering the body’s natural defense mechanism. Being a colonic PPI, it is also associated with microscopic colitis and promotes diarrhea and inflammation.[7] In addition to that, another study was conducted to assess the status of vitamin B12 in patients who are using omeprazole for a long time with Zollinger Ellison syndrome or GERD. It is found that the decreased level of vitamin B12 is due to the consequence of PPI because it can markedly decrease the release of gastric acid secretion.[8] Although not so common, a comprehensive review of epidemiological and mechanistic evidence also indicated that prolonged use of PPI, especially omeprazole, is significantly associated with increased risk of cancer.[9]

Having reasoned the unmitigated risks pertinent to the misuse of omeprazole, this issue ‎has emerged as a significant challenge for stakeholders worldwide‎ because it can deteriorate both mental and physical health. In order to address this problem, we urge the policy makers and the organizations like The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), The National Institute of Health Science (NIH), and World Health Organization (WHO) to review the current status of overuse of omeprazole and timely update the guidelines regarding the prescription of omeprazole. In this way, health care professionals will remain up to date regarding the prescription of omeprazole in outpatient department (OPD) settings or private setups. Doctors also need to prescribe the routine laboratory tests, i.e., complete blood count (CBC), renal function test (RFT), liver function test (LFT), electrolytes, vitamin B12, and iron profile, at every follow-up for patients who have been using omeprazole for a long time. It is also necessary to educate the people regarding the harmful effects of omeprazole, and guide them to modify their lifestyle, such as avoiding the use of unhealthy food, stress management, and doing regular exercise.

Omeprazole, Proton pump inhibitor, Gastrointestinal issues, Gastroesophageal reflux disease, Prescription, Vitamin B12 deficiency.‎

The overuse of omeprazole poses serious health risks, requiring stricter guidelines and public awareness. Healthcare professionals must monitor long-term use and prioritize lifestyle modifications. Regulatory bodies should update prescribing practices to prevent misuse and ensure safer treatment approaches. Together, these approaches should significantly decrease the overuse of omeprazole and other proton pump inhibitors.

The authors declare no acknowledgments.

The authors declare that there was no funding for this study.

Corresponding Author:
Manisha Chaman Lal
Department of Medicine
Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU), Karachi, Pakistan
Email: manisha.chaman21@gmail.com

Co-Authors:
Karan Chaman Lal, Sanjana, Vineeta Nanda
Department of Medicine
Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, Pakistan

Kainat Kousar
Department of Medicine
Bahria University Health Sciences (BUHS), Karachi, Pakistan

The conceptualization was carried out by Karan Chaman Lal and Sanjana. Sanjana prepared the original draft and conducted the literature review. The writing, including review and editing, was performed by all authors. The final approval was granted by all authors.

Not applicable

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

None

https://doi.org/10.63096/medtigo3061215

Karan CL, Sanjana, Vineeta N, Manisha C, Kainat K. Omeprazole Overuse: A Silent Threat to Health. medtigo J Pharmacol. 2025;2(1):e3061215. doi:10.63096/medtigo3061215 Crossref