Praztek contains pantoprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, in 20 mg and 40 mg tablets. It reduces stomach acid and is used for reflux, heartburn, gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and to protect the stomach from anti-inflammatory medicines. Take it before food.
What is Praztek?
Praztek contains pantoprazole, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). The usual strengths are 20 mg and 40 mg.
The stomach lining contains cells with a “proton pump” — the final step that releases acid into the stomach. Pantoprazole shuts that pump down. Because it acts at the last stage of acid production rather than on a signal earlier in the chain, PPIs reduce acid far more thoroughly and for far longer than antacids or the older H2 blockers.
Two practical consequences follow from how it works.
It needs to be taken before food, typically 30 to 60 minutes before breakfast. Proton pumps are activated by eating, and pantoprazole binds pumps that are active. Taken after a meal, much of the dose is wasted. This single point accounts for a large share of the cases where a PPI seems not to be working.
It is not a fast reliever. Full effect builds over two to three days. For immediate relief of heartburn, an antacid works within minutes; the PPI does the sustained work underneath.
It is a Schedule 3 medicine, and the same ingredient is sold as Pantoloc, Zurcal and several generics.
What is Praztek commonly used for?
Pantoprazole is prescribed for:
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and persistent heartburn.
- Oesophagitis, where acid has inflamed the gullet, and to keep it healed.
- Stomach (gastric) and duodenal ulcers.
- Gastritis, inflammation of the stomach lining.
- **Part of Helicobacter pylori eradication**, alongside two antibiotics — commonly including amoxicillin and metronidazole or clarithromycin.
- Protecting the stomach in people taking long-term anti-inflammatories such as diclofenac, or in those at higher risk of ulcers.
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a rare acid-overproducing condition.
The H. pylori use is worth separating out, because it changes the goal entirely. Most stomach and duodenal ulcers are caused by that bacterium. Acid suppression alone relieves symptoms and lets an ulcer heal, but the ulcer commonly returns. Eradicating the bacterium with a course of antibiotics cures the underlying cause. If you have a confirmed ulcer, testing for H. pylori is worth asking about.
The protective use is different again — there, the person has no stomach symptoms at all, and the PPI is preventing an ulcer that an anti-inflammatory would otherwise cause.
How Praztek fits into this medicine category
Acid-related medicines vary in speed and strength:
| Group | Examples | Speed and duration |
|---|---|---|
| Antacids | Gaviscon, Rennies | Minutes; short-lived |
| Alginates | Gaviscon | Forms a raft against reflux |
| H2 blockers | Famotidine | Hours; moderate reduction |
| Proton pump inhibitors | Pantoprazole (Praztek), omeprazole | Days to full effect; strongest and longest |
| Antispasmodics | Hyoscine butylbromide (Hyospasmol) | For cramping, not acid |
| Antiemetics | Metoclopramide (Adco-Contromet) | For nausea, not acid |
Many people do best with a PPI daily for sustained control plus an antacid on hand for breakthrough symptoms. See the digestive, stomach and nausea medicines hub.
What to check before using Praztek
Take it 30 to 60 minutes before food, usually before breakfast, and swallow the tablet whole — do not crush or chew it, as the coating protects it from stomach acid.
Tell your prescriber or pharmacist if:
- You have liver disease.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You take clopidogrel, warfarin, methotrexate, digoxin, an HIV medicine such as atazanavir, or an antifungal such as ketoconazole or itraconazole — PPIs affect the absorption of medicines that need stomach acid.
- You are at risk of osteoporosis, or take a long-term corticosteroid.
- You have low magnesium, or take a diuretic.
- You are due a **test for H. pylori or an endoscopy** — a PPI can mask findings, so tell whoever arranges it.
Report alarm symptoms rather than self-treating: difficulty or pain on swallowing, unintended weight loss, persistent vomiting, vomiting blood, black tarry stools, or anaemia. These need investigation, and suppressing symptoms delays it.
Follow the dispensing label. This page does not set doses.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Review long-term use periodically. PPIs are safe and effective, and they are also among the medicines people stay on for years without anyone revisiting the reason. Ask annually whether it is still needed at the same strength.
With prolonged use, consider: reduced absorption of vitamin B12, magnesium and calcium; a modest increase in fracture risk; a somewhat higher rate of gut infections, since stomach acid is part of your defences; and low magnesium, which causes cramps, tremor or palpitations.
Stopping suddenly after months can cause rebound acid, worse than before, for a week or two. Tapering, or stepping down to an H2 blocker or as-needed use, avoids this — and it is a common reason people conclude they cannot manage without it.
Lifestyle measures genuinely help reflux: smaller meals, not eating within three hours of lying down, raising the head of the bed, reducing alcohol, and stopping smoking. These reduce how much medicine you need.
Common side effects are headache, diarrhoea, constipation, wind and nausea, usually mild.
Seek medical attention for severe or persistent diarrhoea, particularly with fever or blood; muscle cramps, tremor or palpitations; a rash, especially one worsening in sunlight; severe stomach pain; or yellowing of the skin or eyes. Seek urgent care for vomiting blood, black tarry stools, or difficulty swallowing.
Related medicine guides
- Browse Digestive, Stomach & Nausea Medicines guides
- Read: Hyospasmol used for
- Read: Adco Contromet used for
Frequently asked questions
What is Praztek 40 mg used for? Reflux, heartburn, oesophagitis, gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, H. pylori eradication, and protecting the stomach from anti-inflammatory medicines. It contains pantoprazole.
What is the difference between 20 mg and 40 mg? The strength. 20 mg is often used for maintenance or protection, 40 mg for active treatment. Your prescriber decides.
When should I take it? 30 to 60 minutes before food, usually before breakfast. Taken after eating, much of the dose is wasted.
How long before it works? Full effect builds over two to three days. For immediate heartburn relief, an antacid works within minutes.
Can I stop taking it suddenly? After months of use, stopping abruptly can cause a rebound of worse acid for a week or two. Ask about tapering or stepping down.
Is it safe long term? It is widely used long term, but it warrants periodic review. Longer use is associated with reduced B12, magnesium and calcium absorption, some fracture risk, and more gut infections.