SAFE USE OF A DAILY 20-MG DOSE OF OMEPRAZOLE IN ORDER TO AVOID HYPOMAGNESEMIA

Cecilia Maldonado, Nicolás de Mello, Pietro Fagiolino, Marta Vázquez*

The objective of the current study was to examine the safe use of a daily standard dose of omeprazole (20 mg) regarding magnesium levels in blood in hospitalized patients. A total of 51 patients (15 women, 36 men) with different characteristics (pathologies, comedications, age, habits, etc) and taking a standard dose of omeprazole for more than three months were included. 17.6 % of the patients showed mild hypomagnesemia but we concluded that the observed low levels of this electrolyte could be attributed to comedications, age and different pathologies rather than the 20-mg dose of omeprazole. So, hypomagnesemia does not eliminate proton-pump inhibitors as a reasonable option; it just requires clinicians to be aware of this problem and use them safely at conventional doses.