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24 years
I started using omeprazole and it gave me skin rash and pruritus. What can I use instead?
Nov 17, 2014

Dr. Zakia Dimassi Pediatrics
You may take Lansoprazole or Rabeprazole.
There are five different types of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and these don’t share the same chemical structure, so if a person develops an allergic reaction to one PPI, one or more of the other PPIs might be tolerated. Studies performed on the cross-reactivity of proton pump inhibitors have shown that people allergic to omeprazole are frequently allergic to pantoprazole (and vice versa), and people allergic to lansoprazole are often allergic to rabeprazole (and vice versa). This cross-reactivity occurs because of the similar structures between certain PPIs; the lack of cross-reactivity between other PPIs may allow a person with an allergy to a certain PPI to tolerate another PPI. For example, people allergic to omeprazole or pantoprazole are often able to take lansoprazole or rabeprazole, and those allergic to lansoprazole or rabeprazole are often able to take omeprazole or pantoprazole.
In case of an allergic reaction as a result of taking a particular proton pump inhibitor, skin testing is useful to confirm the diagnosis. If skin testing for the PPI suspected to have precipitated an allergic reaction is positive, then skin testing to a non-cross-reacting PPI may be performed in an attempt to find a PPI that the person can tolerate.
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