The benefit/risk profile of rabeprazole, a new proton-pump inhibitor

Acid-related diseases such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and peptic ulcer are a common cause of morbidity and if inadequately treated can lead to serious complications. The proton-pump inhibitor rabeprazole has been extensively evaluated in well-controlled trials in North America and Europe for the acute treatment of erosive or ulcerative GORD and gastric and duodenal ulcers and for the long-term maintenance of GORD healing. The results show that rabeprazole has a favourable benefit/risk profile for each indication. Rabeprazole 10 and 20 mg given once daily in the morning was highly effective in producing and maintaining healing, providing symptom relief, and improving overall well-being. Healing rates for rabeprazole were equivalent to omeprazole in all indications, and superior (GORD healing and duodenal ulcer healing) or equivalent (gastric ulcer healing) to the histamine 2-receptor antagonist ranitidine. Symptom relief provided by rabeprazole was equivalent or superior to comparator drugs. Rabeprazole was well tolerated in both short- and long-term studies. The incidence of treatment-emergent signs and symptoms related to rabeprazole was low, and these were generally mild or moderate in severity. The overall rate of discontinuations due to adverse events was approximately 3%. There were no deaths related to rabeprazole therapy. These findings indicate a favourable benefit/risk profile for each intended use.