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Whose compound is pantoprazole, it is prescribed to treat gastrointestinal ulcers or for gastroesophageal reflux disease, which includes heartburn and acid reflux and reflux esophagitis.
Tecta is part of a family of drugs called proton pump inhibitors . These medications block proton pumps and reduce heartburn to prevent ulcers, reflux, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Proton pumps are found in the cells that line your stomach and are responsible for secreting stomach acid.
There are many causes of high heartburn , some of which you can control, such as your lifestyle and diet, and others that cannot be easily controlled, such as your unique genetic makeup and the composition of bacteria in your digestive system (especially Helicobacter pylori / H. Pylori).
History of Tecta
A remodeled proton pump inhibitor with a longer half-life
Dr. George Sachs was the first to describe the molecular structure and mechanism of action of the acid-producing pumps found in the lining of the stomach, in the journal of biological chemistry, in 1976.
This discovery led to his subsequent innovation of the first drug in the class of drugs known as the proton pump inhibitor (PPI).
The proton pump mechanism in the parietal cells, within the lining of the stomach, takes a non-acidic potassium ion from the stomach and replaces it with an acidic hydrogen ion. The accumulation of hydrogen ions increases the acidity of the stomach.
Proton pump inhibitors work by blocking the adenosine hydrogen / potassium triphosphatase (H + / K + ATPase) enzyme system of the gastric parietal cell.
Parietal cells have receptors for three stimulators of acid secretion, acetylcholine, gastrin, and histamine-2.
While the effect of the proton pump inhibitor is irreversible in each individual parietal cell, permanently stopping it from pumping acid into the stomach.
When these cells reach the end of their short natural life (2-5 days), the body generates new parietal cells, which are capable of producing acid. This is why continuous dosing is essential.
The proton pump inhibitor class of drugs directly affects the proton pump, rather than using an indirect approach such as histamine-2 receptor antagonists.
Which were the most widely accepted acid reducing products before the discovery of the proton pump inhibitor.
Antacids also target stomach acids, but they don’t stop their production. They work by neutralizing acid in the stomach (derived from sodium bicarbonate) and absorbing acid (calcium and magnesium salts).
The first proton pump inhibitor introduced in Canada was Losec, followed by Prevacid, Pantoloc, Nexium, Pariet, and now Tecta. While all proton pump inhibitors are in the same class, each has a unique chemical profile.
A new proton pump inhibitor
The manufacturers of Pantoloc (pantoprazole sodium) have developed a new formulation of this medicine, called Tecta (pantoprazole magnesium).
As with Pantoloc, Tecta is indicated for the treatment of conditions where a reduction in gastric acid secretion is required, such as:
Duodenal ulcer, gastric ulcer, reflux esophagitis, reflux symptoms (heartburn and acid regurgitation) and duodenal ulcers associated with H. pylori infection.
As the action of pantoprazole is distal to receptor levels, it can inhibit gastric acid secretion regardless of the nature of the stimulus (acetylcholine, gastrin, and histamine-2).
Tecta has the same drug interaction profile as the original formulation of pantoprazole.
This factor is of particular importance for those currently taking a common blood thinner, Plavix (clopidogrel bisulfate), which is often prescribed by doctors to prevent the recurrence of certain serious cardiac events.
Pantoprazole is considered a safe option for those who need to take a proton pump inhibitor at the same time as Plavix.
Those who consume Tecta can expect the same side effect profile as pantoprazole sodium, including headache (2.1%), diarrhea (1.6%), and nausea (1.2%).
Tecta is contraindicated in anyone with hypersensitivity to this drug or to any ingredient in the formulation.
Common uses
Many heartburn sufferers take proton pump inhibitors without fully understanding how they are to be used.
This is due, in part, to a lack of self-education on the part of the patient and the fact that many caregivers do not provide patients with proper instructions on how to take the medication.
This medicine reduces the production of stomach acid. It is usually used for the prevention or treatment of ulcers or for gastroesophageal reflux (a condition that involves heartburn and regurgitation of stomach acid).
It can also be used to prevent stomach ulcers caused by anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as for other uses.
This lack of knowledge and the fact that many proton pump inhibitors are available as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs lures patients into a false sense of security in the safety of the drug.
Too many patients continue to take proton pump inhibitors for months or years because they do not understand the risks.
So how is the Tecta different?
In animal studies, Tecta demonstrated a longer half-life than Pantoloc. AND
This means that the drug remains in the body for a longer period, affecting the new parietal cells as they form, and therefore its effect is longer lasting.
Your doctor may prescribe Tecta for you if your current medication does not provide adequate symptom control, for example if your symptoms prevent you from falling asleep or if you wake up during the night.
Some patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may experience erosive esophagitis, which is damage to the lining of the esophagus caused by acid refluxing.
According to the Tecta product monograph, more patients taking Tecta had their esophageal erosions healed after 4 weeks compared to those taking Pantoloc, although at 8 weeks, the two treatments had equally effective results.
All proton pump inhibitors are considered very safe and effective drugs.
Tecta is formulated as an enteric-coated tablet, which should not be chewed or crushed, and should be taken with liquid in the morning before, during, or after breakfast.
What form is this medicine in?
Each yellow, round, biconvex, enteric-coated tablet marked “40” on one side contains 40 mg of Pantoprazole as Pantoprazole Magnesium.
Non-Medicinal Ingredients : Anhydrous Sodium Carbonate, Mannitol, Crospovidone, Povidone, Calcium Stearate, Hypromellose, Titanium Dioxide, Ferric Oxide, Propylene Glycol, and Polyethylacrylate, Methacrylic Acid, and Triethyl Citrate.
In the United States, OTC proton pump inhibitors are clearly listed on the packaging for no more than 14 days or more often than every 4 months unless directed by a doctor. This is to avoid negative side effects that can occur when using the drug long-term.
How should I use this medicine?
This drug is generally used only once a day. However, your doctor or pharmacist may have suggested a different time that is more appropriate for you. Take it regularly and continuously to maintain its beneficial effects.
The recommended adult dose to treat reflux esophagitis is 40 mg once a day in the morning for 4 to 8 weeks.
To treat the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, including heartburn and acid regurgitation, the recommended dose is 40 mg once a day for up to 4 weeks.
Contact your doctor if symptoms have not improved after 4 weeks. Other more serious causes of heartburn and acid regurgitation may need to be ruled out.
To treat duodenal (intestinal) ulcers, the recommended dose for adults is 40 mg once a day in the morning for 2 to 4 weeks.
The recommended dose of Tecta to treat gastric (stomach) ulcers is 40 mg once a day in the morning for 4 to 8 weeks.
To treat duodenal (intestinal) ulcers caused by H. pylori in adults, the dose of Tecta is 40 mg twice a day with amoxicillin 1,000 mg twice a day and clarithromycin 500 mg twice a day.
Or Tecta 40 mg twice daily with metronidazole 500 mg twice daily and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily. The usual duration of this treatment is 7 days.
Do not chew or crush the tablets. Take this medicine with a glass of water in the morning before, during, or after breakfast. However, to maximize its effectiveness, this medication should be taken 30 to 60 minutes before the first meal of the day.
Tecta tablets must be swallowed whole. It should not be split, crushed or chewed. Avoid using or consuming substances that can irritate your stomach, such as:
Cigarettes, alcohol and products containing alcohol, coffee, tea and chocolate, acidic or spicy food, fried food.
Although your doctor may prescribe Tecta for a different length of time depending on your health concern, they should be taken short-term and at the lowest dose and interval possible to achieve the desired effect while healing from acid irritation occurs.
Using long or large doses of Tecta for gastroesophageal reflux disease, acid reflux, or heartburn is a poor option for those without severe symptoms.
While proton pump inhibitors provide relief, they do not cure gastroesophageal reflux disease. They only mask the problem by eliminating the pain associated with heartburn.
If the drug is removed, symptoms are likely to reappear, showing that this is an ineffective treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease.
The only way to cure gastroesophageal reflux disease is for the patient to take an active role in managing the disease through a lifestyle change.
Side effects
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a potentially serious problem, and people understandably want to fix it as quickly as possible.
Despite this, a large body of scientific literature shows that there are long-term side effects of proton pump inhibitor drugs.
Also, while drugs often fix GERD symptoms, they don’t always address the root cause and instead offer short-term relief.
In addition to its desired action, this drug can cause some side effects, in particular:
It can cause headaches, it can cause diarrhea, it can cause dizziness – be careful when getting up from a lying or sitting position.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you experience any of the following side effects:
Any change in vision, diarrhea (watery and severe, may also be bloody), signs of liver damage (such as yellow skin or eyes, abdominal pain, dark urine, pale or clay-colored stools, loss of appetite).
Stop taking the medicine and seek medical attention immediately if any of the following occur:
Severe skin rash, including blistering and peeling of the skin (possibly with a headache, fever, cough, or pain before the rash starts).
Signs of a serious allergic reaction (for example, abdominal cramps, swelling of the face, throat, or tongue; hives or trouble breathing).
Signs of muscle damage (unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, or brown or discolored urine, especially if you also have a fever or a general feeling of being unwell).
Proton pump inhibitors are valuable in the short-term treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease, but long-term use can lead to the following health problems:
Increased risk of heart attack. Bacterial infections introduced through food. Increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection.
Decreased absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, and other nutrients leading to bone fractures, hypomagnesemia, and cardiac arrhythmias.
The reduced capacity of the lower esophageal sphincter is closed due to low levels of stomach acid. Higher acid levels are needed to induce proper closure of the lower esophageal sphincter.
Increased risk of Barrett’s esophagus which can lead to cancer. Increased risk of esophageal cancer. Increased risk of mortality.
Some people may experience side effects other than those listed. In particular, medications to treat heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease have links to the following conditions.
Dementia : Proton pump inhibitor drugs have a number of side effects, and the link to dementia is particularly strong.
Some studies suggest that long-term use of proton pump inhibitors and H2 blockers increases the risk of dementia.
The reason for this is that these medications influence many of the pathways that can lead to dementia.
A couple of ways they do this is by increasing the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency and increasing plaque levels in the brain.
There is also a statistical link, and studies show that patients receiving proton pump inhibitor drugs have a “significantly increased risk of dementia.”
Hypomagnesemia and Hypercalcemia : Hypomagnesemia is when magnesium levels in the body are too low. Hypercalcemia is a condition in which the blood contains excessive levels of calcium.
Without treatment, these two problems cause a wide range of health problems and can include complications.
- A bone-weakening / osteoporosis condition.
- Kidney damage
- Calcification of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
Data link long-term use of the proton pump inhibitor with these two conditions, especially hypomagnesemia.
Kidney disease : Several studies show that users of proton pump inhibitors are at increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease.
In particular, researchers believe that the use of proton pump inhibitors can cause silent and progressive kidney damage.
Pneumonia : Some studies suggest that there is a connection between proton pump inhibitors and pneumonia, particularly in older adults.
Other studies seem to show no relationship between proton pump inhibitors and pneumonia, suggesting that the connection may be due to confounding factors.
Osteoporotic Fractures : Long-term use of Tecta may be linked to an increased risk of bone fractures in the hip, wrist, or spine as a result of weak bones.
This risk increases even more if you are at risk of developing osteoporosis.
If you have osteoporosis or have risk factors for developing osteoporosis, talk with your doctor about how this drug may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosage and effectiveness of this drug, and if any special monitoring is needed.
Severe stomach problems : If you experience recurring vomiting, difficulty swallowing, blood in your stool (dark stools), significant unintended weight loss, fatigue, or you are coughing up blood, contact your doctor immediately.
These may be symptoms of other medical problems that your doctor should look at.
Vitamin B12 : Long-term use of Tecta can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency. If you are a vegetarian or have low vitamin B12 levels, talk to your doctor if special monitoring is required.
Pregnancy : This drug should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks.
Children : The safety and efficacy of using this medicine have not been established for children.
If you think this medicine may be causing side effects (including those described here, or others), talk to your doctor or pharmacist. He or she can help you determine if the medicine is the source of the problem or not.
Is Tecta effective for everyone?
Headaches, dizziness, nausea, stomach aches, gas, diarrhea. These are just some of the side effects that you may have experienced if you have ever taken Tecta.
While Tecta is generally considered effective, the medications are not one-size-fits-all and this can lead to ineffective treatment or adverse side effects.
Each of us differs in how our bodies respond to drugs due to individual differences in drug metabolism based on their unique genetics.
A drug response test can determine if Tecta is right for you and help reduce adverse side effects.
Your unique genetic makeup plays a key role in determining how effective Tecta is for you and how serious its side effects are.
Tecta, like most other drugs, is metabolized and removed from the bloodstream by enzymes in your liver. In particular, Tecta is metabolized by the CYP2C19 enzyme (encoded by the Cyp2c19 gene).
If you are experiencing adverse side effects from Tecta, a drug response test will likely show that you have a variation of cyp2c19 that makes it a slow metabolizer for Tecta.
This means that your body does not metabolize Tecta fast enough, causing the drug levels in your blood to rise to dangerous levels. In this case, your doctor should consider lowering your dose.
On the other hand, if Tecta did not relieve your symptoms, there is a good chance that a drug response test will show that you are a rapid metabolizer.
Which means that now your body is metabolizing the drug too quickly and there is not enough drug circulating in your bloodstream to relieve gastrointestinal symptoms.
In this case, your doctor may consider increasing your dose of Tecta or changing your prescription to other proton pump inhibitors that are less affected by CYP2C19 activity (i.e. lansoprazole and rabeprazole).
The effectiveness of a drug like Tecta for you depends on how your body metabolizes the drug, and this is determined by your individual genetic makeup.
Be polite and proactive with your recipes – find out how your body metabolizes drugs.
A drug response test like PillCheckTM is the most effective way for you and your doctor to determine how well you will respond to Tecta or other proton pump inhibitors / proton pump inhibitors to avoid adverse side effects or control ineffective symptoms.
PillCheckTM will also reveal your drug metabolism profile for many other common prescriptions and can be a powerful tool to help you and your doctor improve the safety and effectiveness of your prescription drugs.
What other drugs could interact with this medicine?
This medication can interact with other medications or supplements, sometimes significantly. Many interactions, however, can be resolved by adjusting the dose or changing the medication schedule.
Check with your pharmacist before using this medicine in combination with any other medicines (including non-prescription products), vitamins, or natural products.
There may be an interaction between Tecta and any of the following:
Amphetamines, ‘azole’ antifungals (eg itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole), bisphosphonates (eg alendronate, etidronate, risedronate), bosutinib, carbamazepine, mycophenolate, phenytoin.
Clopidogrel, dabigatran, delavirdine, ezalutamide, HIV protease inhibitors (eg, atazanavir, indinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir), iron salts, ledipasvir, lumacaftor, mesalamine, methotrexate, methylphenidate.
Certain protein kinase inhibitors (eg, bosutinib, dabrafenib, dasatinib, erlotinib, pazopanib), rifampin, rilpivirine, riociguat.
‘Statins’ anti-cholesterol drugs (eg atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin), warfarin.
If you are taking any of these medications, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. It is important to tell the health professionals you consult:
- If you have a history of any other medical condition, whether you smoke and for women, if you are or want to become pregnant or breastfeeding.
- If you are allergic to any medications or any other allergies (for example, food, latex, etc.).
All medications you are taking, prescription and nonprescription, including vitamins and natural products and supplements.
Storage information
As with most medicines, this product should be stored at room temperature.
Store it in a safe place where it will not be exposed to excessive heat, humidity, or direct sunlight. Keep it out of the reach of small children. Make sure any leftover portion is disposed of safely.
