Esomeprazole – chemical name
Pronunciation – ess-oh-MEP-ra-zole
Nexium – brand name

Nexium (esomeprazole) and GERD

The stomach produces hydrochloric acid (HCl) when you eat something. On average, the stomach produces 2 liters of hydrochloric acid (HCl) daily. In the stomach, your food is broken down by the stomach acids in preparation for digestion. When we eat such things as bread, meat, and vegetables, they are not in a form that the body can use as nourishment.

Our food and drink must be changed into smaller molecules of nutrients before they can be absorbed into the blood and carried to cells throughout the body. Digestion is the process by which food and drink are broken down into their smallest parts so that the body can use them to build and nourish cells and to provide energy.

The esophagus is the tube that connects the throat to the stomach. It carries food, liquids, and saliva from the mouth to the stomach. A ringlike valve at the bottom of your esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter, prevents reflux (or backing up) of acid. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) usually remains closed. It relaxes during swallowing to allow food to pass into the stomach. It then tightens to prevent flow in the opposite direction.

If the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) stays relaxed more frequently than normal, acid and food particles seep out of the stomach and up into the esophagus. This is called gastroesophageal reflux. When gastroesophageal reflux symtoms worsen, or are severe enough to cause more serious problems, it is then a disease called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

In some people, this can cause esophagitis. Esophagitis is an inflammation of the lining of the esophagus. Only a doctor can determine if you have this damage. Esophagitis is one of the more serious forms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). If left untreated, the acid from the stomach can wear away or erode the lining of your esophagus.

Esophageal damage caused by GERD may lead to even more serious complications, including stricture, hemorrhage (heavy bleeding), a precancerous condition known as Barrett’s esophagus, and eophageal cancer.

Other Causes of Esophagitis

Certain infections, such as a fungus infection (monilia, candida) and viruses, can occur in the esophagus and cause inflammation. Irradiation and caustic substances, like lye, also can cause esophagitis. Acid reflux from the stomach, however, is the most common cause of the condition.

The proton pump inhibitor, Nexium, blocks the formation of acid in the stomach, which can then help heal erosive esophagitis and the relief of heartburn symptoms due to gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Nexium is used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), erosive esophagitis, and other conditions involving excessive stomach acid production. The FDA also approved Nexium, in combination with two antibiotics, amoxicillin and clarithromycin, to treat helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, which is responsible for the majority of gastric ulcers and duodenal ulcers. Nexium may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your doctor.

That’s how Nexium can help. Nexium blocks the formation of acid in the stomach, which can then help heal erosive esophagitis and the relief of heartburn symptoms due to gastroesophageal reflux disease. Nexium doesn’t block all your stomach acid, so you do have enough to still digest your food. Nexium blocks enough stomach acid so the stomach acid won’t come back up into the esophagus and cause serious damage. It is very important to heal the esophagus.