Nexium Effect on Cholesteral

Nexium is a prescription medication used to treat acid reflux disease, a disease that causes chronic heartburn. It may also be used to heal damage to the esophagus caused by acid reflux. Although it has some side effects, it has never been linked to cholesterol, and does not seem to affect the body's absorption of nutrients or cholesterol.

How Nexium Works

Nexium is a proton pump inhibitor, a type of drug that reduces the amount of acid in the stomach by turning off some of the acid pumps in the cells of the stomach. It can be taken once a day to relieve heartburn symptoms. For people who have erosive esophagitis, a condition where part of the lining of the esophagus has been worn away by stomach acid, Nexium can be taken for 4 to 8 weeks to help heal the esophagus.

Effect on Cholesteral

The Food and Drug Administration reports that Nexium has been tested in a population of 15,000 patients worldwide. Some side effects were present in these clinical trials, but there was no effect on cholesterol noted among the patients tested. There is no evidence that Nexium affects cholesterol levels. It may affect the way the body absorbs certain medications, but there is no evidence to suggest it affects the body's metabolism of cholesterol.

Other Side Effects

The most common side effects of Nexium reported in clinical trials evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration were headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea. Nexium has been approved for treatment in pediatric populations, and studies of these populations demonstrated the same side effects. There was a concern about increased risk of cardiac events among users of Nexium and other proton pump inhibitors, but the FDA's safety review found no evidence linking cardiac events to Nexium.

Effectiveness

A six month trial of 375 patients with acid reflux symptoms showed that esomeprazole, the active ingredient in Nexium, was effective at both preventing heartburn and preventing erosion of the esophageal lining. When a relapse of esophageal erosion occurred, it was less severe and occurred later in the patients treated with esomeprazole. The side effects noted in the study were generally mild.

Considerations

As with any medication, it is important to consult with a doctor about symptoms and to get a diagnosis. Nexium and other proton pump inhibitors are generally safe and effective with usually minor side effects; however, it is up to the doctor to decide which medication is best for each patient. Proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium have not been linked to cholesterol and do not seem to affect the way the body absorbs cholesterol, though they may interfere with some medications.