Higher doses of Nexium are effective in eradicating H_ pylori bacteria

Helicobacter pylori, a common bacteria in the stomach, can cause reflux and peptic ulcers, which eat away at the stomach lining. A study by researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, published in the July 2012 edition of Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, found that higher than average doses of Nexium delivered for a longer period of time are more effective than the past treatment of H. pylori.

H. pylori infection
Though H. pylori is common - it's present in about 50 percent of individuals throughout the world - most people never get sick from it. But for those who do, an H. pylori infection causes pain, reflux, nausea, vomiting and at its worst, difficulty swallowing and bloody or tarry stool or vomit. These types of infections are treated with two types of antibiotics and an acid reduction medication.

The study
In the study, researchers tripled the dosage of esomeprazole - Nexium - and treated patients for 10 days rather than seven, in combination with antibiotics amoxicillin and metronidazole. Of 127 patients with an H. pylori infection, the bacteria was completely eradicated from 112 of the patients. Though the results were very promising, more research must be done. It is unclear why the increased dosage of Nexium - typically meant to help the stomach lining heal and reduce one's discomfort by the suppression of acid production - has a notable effect on the H. pylori. The researchers recommend that their increased dosage method be tested again alongside a typical control.

If someone has symptoms of peptic ulcers, he or she should visit a physician to be tested for H. pylori. Prescriptions for Nexium and other PPIs can be filled with an online pharmacy to reduce costs.