Esomeprazole in GERD therapy: rapid relief and lasting effects. A review of current clinical evidence Review article
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Published:
Jul 27, 2026
Keywords:
esomeprazole, gastroesophageal reflux disease, heartburn
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Abstract
Esomeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor used in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is characterized by a favorable pharmacokinetic profile, greater and more predictable systemic exposure, and higher bioavailability after repeated dosing compared with other proton pump inhibitors. Scientific studies, including meta-analyses, indicate that esomeprazole effectively relieves disease symptoms, promotes the healing of erosions in erosive esophagitis, and helps maintain remission after mucosal healing. To achieve an optimal therapeutic effect, treatment with esomeprazole should be individualized, the drug should be taken correctly before meals, and the need for continued therapy should be periodically reassessed with the aim of using the lowest effective dose.
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Caban, M., & Małecka-Wojciesko, E. (2026). Esomeprazole in GERD therapy: rapid relief and lasting effects. A review of current clinical evidence. Medycyna Faktow (J EBM). Retrieved from https://www.journalsmededu.pl/index.php/jebm/article/view/3527
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References
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2. Yadlapati R, Gyawali CP, Pandolfino JE et al. AGA Clinical Practice Update on the Personalized Approach to the Evaluation and Management of GERD: Expert Review. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022; 20(5): 984-994.e1. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2022.01.025.
3. Scott LJ, Dunn CJ, Mallarkey G et al. Esomeprazole: a review of its use in the management of acid-related disorders. Drugs. 2002; 62(10): 1503-38. http://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200262100-00006.
4. Andersson T, Hassan-Alin M, Hasselgren G et al. Pharmacokinetic studies with esomeprazole, the (S)-isomer of omeprazole. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2001; 40(6): 411-26. http://doi.org/10.2165/00003088-200140060-00003.
5. Andersson T, Röhss K, Hassan-Alin M et al. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of esomeprazole, the S-isomer of omeprazole. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2001; 15(10): 1563-9. http://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2036.2001.01087.x.
6. Sostek MB, Chen Y, Andersson T. Effect of timing of dosing in relation to food intake on the pharmacokinetics of esomeprazole. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2007; 64(3): 386-90. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.2007.02889.x.
7. Miner P Jr, Katz PO, Chen Y et al. Gastric acid control with esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, and rabeprazole: a five-way crossover study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2003; 98(12): 2616-20. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.2003.08783.x.
8. Targownik LE, Fisher DA, Saini SD. AGA Clinical Practice Update on De-Prescribing of Proton Pump Inhibitors: Expert Review. Gastroenterology. 2022; 162(4): 1334-42. http://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2021.12.247.
9. Richter JE, Kahrilas PJ, Johanson J et al. Efficacy and safety of esomeprazole compared with omeprazole in GERD patients with erosive esophagitis: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Gastroenterol. 2001; 96(3): 656-65.
10. Castell DO, Kahrilas PJ, Richter JE et al. Esomeprazole 40 mg compared with lansoprazole 30 mg in the treatment of erosive esophagitis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2002; 97(3): 575-83.
11. Fennerty MB, Johanson JF, Hwang C et al. Efficacy of esomeprazole 40 mg vs. lansoprazole 30 mg for healing moderate to severe erosive oesophagitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2005; 21(4): 455-63. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02339.x.
12. Labenz J, Armstrong D, Lauritsen K et al. A randomized comparative study of esomeprazole 40 mg versus pantoprazole 40 mg for healing erosive oesophagitis: the EXPO study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2005; 21(6): 739-46. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02368.x.
13. Gralnek IM, Dulai GS, Fennerty MB et al. Esomeprazole versus other proton pump inhibitors in erosive esophagitis: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006; 4(12): 1452-8. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2006.09.013.
14. Yang S, Deng W, Xie Z et al. Efficacy and safety of proton pump inhibitors versus vonoprazan in treatment of erosive esophagitis: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and network meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2022; 101(47): e31807. http://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000031807.
15. DeVault KR, Johanson JF, Johnson DA et al. Maintenance of healed erosive esophagitis: a randomized six-month comparison of esomeprazole twenty milligrams with lansoprazole fifteen milligrams. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006; 4(7): 852-9.
16. Katz PO, Castell DO, Levine D. Esomeprazole resolves chronic heartburn in patients without erosive oesophagitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2003; 18: 875-82. http://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2036.2003.01771.x.
17. Armstrong D, Talley NJ, Lauritsen K et al. The role of acid suppression in patients with endoscopy-negative reflux disease: the effect of treatment with esomeprazole or omeprazole. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2004; 20(4): 413-21. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.02085.x.
18. Mönnikes H, Pfaffenberger B, Gatz G et al. Novel measurement of rapid treatment success with ReQuest: first and sustained symptom relief as outcome parameters in patients with endoscopy-negative GERD receiving 20 mg pantoprazole or 20 mg esomeprazole. Digestion. 2005; 71(3): 152-8. http://doi.org/10.1159/000086784.
19. Johnson DA, Le Moigne A, Hugo V et al. Rapid resolution of sleep disturbances related to frequent reflux: effect of esomeprazole 20 mg in two randomized, double-blind, controlled trials. Curr Med Res Opin. 2015; 31(2): 243-50. http://doi.org/10.1185/03007995.2014.991818.
2. Yadlapati R, Gyawali CP, Pandolfino JE et al. AGA Clinical Practice Update on the Personalized Approach to the Evaluation and Management of GERD: Expert Review. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022; 20(5): 984-994.e1. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2022.01.025.
3. Scott LJ, Dunn CJ, Mallarkey G et al. Esomeprazole: a review of its use in the management of acid-related disorders. Drugs. 2002; 62(10): 1503-38. http://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200262100-00006.
4. Andersson T, Hassan-Alin M, Hasselgren G et al. Pharmacokinetic studies with esomeprazole, the (S)-isomer of omeprazole. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2001; 40(6): 411-26. http://doi.org/10.2165/00003088-200140060-00003.
5. Andersson T, Röhss K, Hassan-Alin M et al. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of esomeprazole, the S-isomer of omeprazole. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2001; 15(10): 1563-9. http://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2036.2001.01087.x.
6. Sostek MB, Chen Y, Andersson T. Effect of timing of dosing in relation to food intake on the pharmacokinetics of esomeprazole. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2007; 64(3): 386-90. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.2007.02889.x.
7. Miner P Jr, Katz PO, Chen Y et al. Gastric acid control with esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, and rabeprazole: a five-way crossover study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2003; 98(12): 2616-20. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.2003.08783.x.
8. Targownik LE, Fisher DA, Saini SD. AGA Clinical Practice Update on De-Prescribing of Proton Pump Inhibitors: Expert Review. Gastroenterology. 2022; 162(4): 1334-42. http://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2021.12.247.
9. Richter JE, Kahrilas PJ, Johanson J et al. Efficacy and safety of esomeprazole compared with omeprazole in GERD patients with erosive esophagitis: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Gastroenterol. 2001; 96(3): 656-65.
10. Castell DO, Kahrilas PJ, Richter JE et al. Esomeprazole 40 mg compared with lansoprazole 30 mg in the treatment of erosive esophagitis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2002; 97(3): 575-83.
11. Fennerty MB, Johanson JF, Hwang C et al. Efficacy of esomeprazole 40 mg vs. lansoprazole 30 mg for healing moderate to severe erosive oesophagitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2005; 21(4): 455-63. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02339.x.
12. Labenz J, Armstrong D, Lauritsen K et al. A randomized comparative study of esomeprazole 40 mg versus pantoprazole 40 mg for healing erosive oesophagitis: the EXPO study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2005; 21(6): 739-46. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02368.x.
13. Gralnek IM, Dulai GS, Fennerty MB et al. Esomeprazole versus other proton pump inhibitors in erosive esophagitis: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006; 4(12): 1452-8. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2006.09.013.
14. Yang S, Deng W, Xie Z et al. Efficacy and safety of proton pump inhibitors versus vonoprazan in treatment of erosive esophagitis: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and network meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2022; 101(47): e31807. http://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000031807.
15. DeVault KR, Johanson JF, Johnson DA et al. Maintenance of healed erosive esophagitis: a randomized six-month comparison of esomeprazole twenty milligrams with lansoprazole fifteen milligrams. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2006; 4(7): 852-9.
16. Katz PO, Castell DO, Levine D. Esomeprazole resolves chronic heartburn in patients without erosive oesophagitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2003; 18: 875-82. http://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2036.2003.01771.x.
17. Armstrong D, Talley NJ, Lauritsen K et al. The role of acid suppression in patients with endoscopy-negative reflux disease: the effect of treatment with esomeprazole or omeprazole. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2004; 20(4): 413-21. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.02085.x.
18. Mönnikes H, Pfaffenberger B, Gatz G et al. Novel measurement of rapid treatment success with ReQuest: first and sustained symptom relief as outcome parameters in patients with endoscopy-negative GERD receiving 20 mg pantoprazole or 20 mg esomeprazole. Digestion. 2005; 71(3): 152-8. http://doi.org/10.1159/000086784.
19. Johnson DA, Le Moigne A, Hugo V et al. Rapid resolution of sleep disturbances related to frequent reflux: effect of esomeprazole 20 mg in two randomized, double-blind, controlled trials. Curr Med Res Opin. 2015; 31(2): 243-50. http://doi.org/10.1185/03007995.2014.991818.