Rabeprazole

Rabeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) that irreversibly blocks the hydrogen-potassium ATPase enzyme system in gastric parietal cells, substantially reducing stomach acid production. It is FDA-approved for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), erosive or ulcerative esophagitis, duodenal ulcers, and pathological hypersecretory conditions such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, and is also used as part of combination therapy to eradicate H. pylori infection. Rabeprazole is taken once daily, typically before a meal, and its acid-suppressing effect builds over the first few days of use. As with other PPIs, long-term use has been associated with modest increases in risk for certain nutrient deficiencies and bone fracture, so it is generally prescribed at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration appropriate to the condition being treated.