When taking certain medications along with pantoprazole, there may be adverse interactions. In these cases, the use of pantoprazole may not be recommended or a medical provider may adjust the dosage amounts to reduce or prevent negative reactions and related risks with other drugs, food, drink or medical conditions.
Drug Interactions
The FDA has determined that the following drugs may interact with pantoprazole:
- Antiretroviral drugs, such as rilpivirine (Edurant), atazanavir (Reyataz), and saquinavir (Invirase)
- Warfarin (Jantovin)
- Methotrexate (Otrexup)
- Drugs that are dependent on gastric pH for absorption, such as ketoconazole (Nizoral), iron salts, erlotinib (Tarceva), and mycophenolate mofetil (Myfortic)
- False-positive urine tests for THC
This list may not be complete. There may be other drug interactions that are not listed here.
Plavix (Clopidogrel)
Plavix is given to a patient to prevent a stroke or heart attack. Pantoprazole may cause a reduction in the effectiveness of the drug Plavix when taken together.
Omeprazole
Omeprazole (Prilosec) is another proton pump inhibitor. When taken with pantoprazole, these drugs may reduce the effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs, increase the toxicity of certain drugs such as methotrexate, or increase the risk of bleeding when taken with warfarin. In short, omeprazole and pantoprazole should not be taken with drugs that rely on stomach acid for absorption in the body.
Tums
There are currently no existing interactions between pantoprazole and Tums antacids.
Pepcid
There are currently no existing interactions between pantoprazole and Pepcid (famotidine), an antihistamine and antacid.
Food Interactions
Foods and beverages may also cause interactions when taking with certain medications. These interactions may be caused by:
- Foods that make GERD and heartburn symptoms worse (fatty and spicy foods)
- Beverages containing caffeine (coffee, tea and soda)
The above list may not be complete. There could be other foods and beverages that will interact negatively with this drug.
Pantoprazole and Alcohol
Experts have not yet noted interactions between pantoprazole and alcohol. However, alcohol may cause the stomach to produce more acid, which could increase heartburn and GERD symptoms. For more information, please visit our page on pantoprazole and alcohol.
Coffee
While there is no known interaction between pantoprazole and coffee, caffeinated drinks can increase acid reflux symptoms.
Disease & Conditions Interactions
The risk of negative side effects can be increased when taking certain medications to treat specific diseases and medical conditions. According to the FDA, medical conditions and diseases that are known to have a negative interaction with pantoprazole include:
- Gastric malignancy (stomach tumors)
- Osteoporosis-related bone fractures
- Vitamin B-12 deficiency (cyanocobalamin)
- Cutaneous and systemic lupus erythematosus
- Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (diarrhea from a C. diff infection)
- Tumorigenicity (cultured cells giving rise to tumors)
- Hypomagnesemia (low magnesium)
- Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), kidney injury
The above list of conditions and diseases may not be complete. There may be other medical conditions where patients should not be taking this drug.
Lupus
Long term use of pantoprazole may cause a new onset of lupus, often called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), for some patients or may exacerbate this autoimmune disease for people who already have lupus.
COVID-19
Ongoing research is examining any negative reactions between taking pantoprazole and COVID-19 risks. Some studies hypothesize that proton pump inhibitors may increase the risks of contracting this disease, according to MedPage Today. More in-depth studies will need to be conducted to determine if there is any connection between COVID-19 and pantoprazole, though.
Pantoprazole and Pregnancy
For more information, please visit our page on pantoprazole and pregnancy risks.
Disclaimer: this article does not constitute or replace medical advice. If you have an emergency or a serious medical question, please contact a medical professional or call 911 immediately. To see our full medical disclaimer, visit our Terms of Use page.
