Nexium Side Effects

This page addressing Nexium side effects is going to be broken down a bit differently than other drug side effects pages.Nexium was recently (2008) approved for use in pediatric patients (children ages 1 to 17 years old) and the side effects most commonly observed in this population is slightly different from those seen most commonly in adults.

Beyond that, the manufacturer has not provided any frequency for less commonly seen Nexium side effects, therefore they will be grouped according to the body parts that they occur in.

Most Frequent Nexium Side Effects

In Children (Ages 1 to 17 years old):

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Nausea
• Somnolence - sleepiness/drowsiness

In Adults (Ages 18 and over):

• Abdominal pain
• Constipation
• Diarrrhea
• Dry mouth
• Flatulence
• Headache
• Nausea

Other Nexium Side Effects

The Body in General:

• Allergic reaction
• Asthenia - general muscle weakness/loss of strength and/or energy
• Back pain
• Chest pain - including substernal (under the breastbone) chest pain
• Facial edema - swelling of the face
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Flu-like disorder
• Generalized edema - swelling all over the body
• Hot flushes
• Leg edema - swelling in the legs
• Malaise - a general feeling of discomfort or not feeling well
• Pain
• Peripheral edema - swelling of the limbs, particularly the legs/feet
• Rigors - shaking chills
• Swollen abdomen

Blood:

• Anemia - abnormally low red blood cell count
• Cervical lymphadenopathy - swollen neck glands
• Epistaxis - nosebleeds
• Hypochromic anemia - a type of anemia in which the red blood cells are not as red as they should be
• Leukocytosis - abnormally high white blood cell count
• Leukopenia - abnormally low white blood cell count
• Thrombocytopenia - abnormally low platelet count

Ears:

• Ear ache
• Tinnitus - ringing in the ears

The Endocrine System (i.e. the glands that produce the body's hormones):

• Goiter - an enlarged thyroid gland

Eyes:

• Abnormal vision
• Conjunctivitis - pink eye

The Gastrointestinal System (i.e. the stomach and intestines):

• Aggravated constipation (in people who are already constipated)
• Barrett’s esophagus - a disease characterized by an abnormal change in the cells of the esophagus
• Benign polyps or nodules
• Discoloration/change in color of the mucous membranes
• Duodenitis - inflammation of the duodenum
• Dyspepsia - more commonly known as "indigestion"
• Dysphagia - difficulty swallowing
• Dysplasia GI - this is a somewhat vague term but usually refers to possibly pre-cancerous cells developing in the stomach and intestines
• Epigastric pain - pain in the upper to middle part of the abdomen
• Eructation - belching or burping
• Esophageal disorder - disorders of the gullet/food pipe
• Esophageal stricture - narrowing of the esophagus
• Esophageal ulceration - the development of ulcers in the esophagus
• Esophageal varices - swelling or stretching of the veins ini the esophagus
• Esophagitis - inflammation of the esophagus
• Frequent stools (bowel movements)
• Gastric ulcer - stomach ulcer
• Gastritis - inflammation of the lining of the stomach
• Gastroenteritis - infection or irritation of the stomach and/or intestines
• GI hemorrhage - bleeding in the stomach
• Hernia
• Hiccups
• Increase in the level of serum gastrin - gastrin is a hormone that is released after eating, it causes the stomach to produce more acid
• Irregular bowel movements
• Melena - dark, tarry stools due to the presence of blood in the stools
• Mouth disorders
• Pharynx disorders - disorders of the throat
• Rectal disorders
• Tongue disorders
• Tongue edema - swelling of the tongue
• Ulcerative stomatitis - ulcers on the cheeks, tongue and lips
• Vomiting

Genitals & Genitalia:

• Abnormal urine
• Albuminuria - presence of albumin in the urine
• Cystitis - inflammation and/or infection of the bladder and/or ureters
• Dysuria - painful urination or difficulty urinating
• Frequent urination
• Fungal infection
• Hematuria - blood in the urine
• Moniliasis and genital moniliasis - a type of yeast infection
• Polyuria - frequent urination and in large volumes

The Heart:

• Fast heart rate
• Flushing
• High blood pressure

Liver:

• Abnormal liver function
• Bilirubinemia - bilirubin in the blood
• Increase in liver enzyme levels - both AST(SGOT) and ALT(SGPT), as well as Alkaline phosphatase

Metabolic/Nutritional Issues:

• Decrease in weight
• Glycosuria - sugar in the urine
• Hyperuricemia - anormally high amount of uric acid in the blood
• Hyponatremia - abnormally low level of sodium in the blood
• Increase in weight
• Thirst
• Vitamin B12 deficiency

Muscles & Skeletal System:

• Arthralgia - joint pain/pain in the joints
• Aggravation of arthritis (in people who already have it)
• Arthropathy - joint disorders
• Cramps
• Fibromyalgia syndrome
• Hernia
• Polymyalgia rheumatica - muscle pain and stiffness, particularly in the neck, shoulders and hips

Nervous System & Psychiatric Issues:

• Aggravated depression (in people who are already depressed)
• Aggravated migraine (in people who already prone to getting migraines)
• Anorexia - loss of appetite
• Apathy - lack of emotion or enthusiasm
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Hypertonia - increased tension in the muscles which leads to stiffness of the muscle
• Hypoesthesia - decreased sense of touch
• Impotence
• Increase in appetite
• Insomnia
• Migraine
• Nervousness
• Paresthesia - tingling, prickling, or burning sensation of the skin
• Sleep disorders
• Somnolence
• Tremor
• Vertigo - feeling like you are about to fall or like everything is spinning
• Visual field defect

Reproductive System:

• Dysmenorrhea - painful menstrual periods
• Menstrual disorders
• Vaginitis - inflammation of the vagina

Respiratory System:

• Aggravated asthma (in people who already have asthma)
• Coughing
• Dyspnea - difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Swollen voice box/vocal cords
• Pharyngitis - sore throat
• Rhinitis - runny nose
• Sinusitis - inflamed sinuses

Skin:

• Acne
• Angioedema
• Dermatitis - inflammation of the skin
• Increased sweating
• Pruritus - itching
• Pruritus ani - itching around the anus a.k.a. "itchy bottom"
• Rash - plain rash, red rash and maculopapular rash (a.k.a. "spotty, bumpy rash)
• Urticaria - hives or welts

Special Senses:

• Loss of taste
• Otitis media - middle ear infection
• Parosmia - altered sense of smell, in particular sensing smells that don't exist
• Taste perversion

Nexium Side Effects in Combo Therapy

Nexium is also commonly used in combination with Amoxicillin and Clarithromycin (Biaxin) to eradicate a bacteria known as H. pylori and reduce the risk of recurrent duodenal ulcers. The Nexium side effects observed when it was used in this combination were no different from when it was used alone. The most commonly observed side effects are as follows:

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Taste perversion

Post-Marketing Nexium Side Effects

The following Nexium side effects were reported after Nexium was approved and being used by the general population. You should note though that they were reported voluntarily by folks in the general population so there is therefore no way to determine how often they occur or if there is even really a true connection between them and Nexium. They are as follows:

Blood And Lymphatic System Disorders:
• Agranulocytosis - a abnormal decrease in, or total disappearance of, white blood cells
• Pancytopenia - an abnormal decrease in all types of blood cells i.e. red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets

Eye Disorders:
• Blurred vision

Gastrointestinal Disorders:
• Pancreatitis
• Stomatitis

Hepatobiliary Disorders:
• Hepatitis (with or without jaundice)
• Liver failure

Immune System Disorders:
• Anaphylactic reaction/shock

Infections and Infestations:
• GI candidiasis - fungal infection of the gastrointestinal tract

Musculoskeletal And Connective Tissue Disorders:
• Muscle weakness
• Myalgia - muscle pain

Nervous System Disorders:
• Hepatic encephalopathy
• Taste disturbance

Psychiatric Disorders:
• Aggression
• Agitation
• Depression
• Hallucination

Renal and Urinary Disorders:
• Interstitial nephritis - inflammation or irritation of certain kidney cells

Reproductive System and Breast Disorders:
• Gynecomastia - abnormal enlargement of breasts/breast tissue in men

Respiratory, Thoracic and Mediastinal Disorders:
• Bronchospasm - tightening or contraction of the smooth muscle (of the bronchioles) in the lungs

Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders:
• Alopecia - hair loss
• Erythema multiforme - red, blistery skin rash
• Hyperhidrosis - excessive sweating
• Photosensitivity - heightened sensitivity to light
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) - a potentially life-threatening skin condition which results in blistering and peeling of the skin

A doctor is the only salesman who always finds
his clients in a moment of weakness.

Drug Manufacturer Information

Astra Zeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
P.O. Box 15437
Wilmington, DE 19850
302-886-3000

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July 14, 2009

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