Is there a good reason to use both Omeprazole and H2 blocker at the same time?
H2 Blockers are drugs that block acid in the stomach. This is accomplished by “blocking” the H2 receptor on the cells in the stomach that produce acid. Omeprazole(Prilosec) belongs to a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors. This class of drugs blocks acid production by not allowing the cell to pump hydrogen charges through the cell membrane. In general, the proton pump inhibitors are more powerful in reducing acid. The H2 blockers have the advantage of minimal short or long term side effects. They are so well tolerated that they are now generally available over the counter without a prescription. There is no absolute contraindication to combining these drugs. On occasion, I have maintained a patient on H2 blockers for the first 2-3 days of treatment with omeprazole since the omeprazole can theoretically take a few days to be maximally effective. I guess if acid symptoms were still present, a combination of the two would be effective. I haven’t seen this tested clinically.
