Jordan asked
Can I increase the dose of omeprazole for an ulcer?
Answer
Omeprazole (Brand name Prilosec) is known as a Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) which suppress gastric acid section by inhibiting an enzyme in stomach cells. These cells are known as parietal cells, and they produce stomach acid. Omeprazole is used for both prevention and treatment of stomach ulcers among other things.
The typically daily dose for acid reflux prevention and ulcer prevention is 20mg by mouth once a day, which is what you are currently taking. The FDA approved dosage for the treatment of a gastric ulcer is 40 mg PO once daily for 4—8 weeks so yes, in most cases it is recommended to take a higher dose when actively treating an ulcer. In fact, there have been many studies that have shown that omeprazole 40 mg once daily was significantly more effective than 20 mg once daily. I attached a picture of the trial results to this email for your reference. I would certainly check with your doctor about a possible increase in dosage. They may want to perform an exam and find the most appropriate therapy from there.
