A review of the clinical and economic impact of using esomeprazole or lansoprazole for the treatment of erosive esophagitis.

Background: The use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for the treatment of erosive esophagitis has had a major impact on the prescribing budgets of primary care organizations in the United Kingdom. Assessments of the clinical and economic effectiveness of PPIs would provide useful tools for decision-making.

Objective: The goal of this study was to review the available preclinical and clinical studies comparing esomeprazole with lansoprazole in the healing and maintenance of erosive esophagitis, and to compare the budgeting impact of the 2 strategies.

Esomeprazole 40 mg and 20 mg is efficacious in the long-term management of patients with endoscopy-negative gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a placebo-controlled trial of on-demand therapy for 6 months.

Background: On-demand therapy may offer an effective approach to the long-term management of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) without oesophagitis.

Aim: To examine the efficacy of the novel proton pump inhibitor esomeprazole as on-demand therapy in endoscopy-negative GORD.

Patients And Methods: Endoscopy-negative GORD patients who achieved complete resolution of heartburn after short-term esomeprazole or omeprazole treatment (n = 721) were randomized to esomeprazole 20 mg (n = 282), 40 mg (n = 293) or placebo (n = 146) on demand (maximum one dose/day) for 6 months.