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PATIENT INFORMATION
ACIPHEX® (a-se-feks)
(rabeprazole sodium)
Delayed-Release Tablets
Read the Patient Information that comes with ACIPHEX before you start taking it and
each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This leaflet does not take the
place of talking to your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.
What is ACIPHEX?
ACIPHEX is a medicine called a proton pump inhibitor or an “acid pump inhibitor". This
means it reduces the amount of acid that is made by your stomach. ACIPHEX is used in
adults:
• for the short-term (4 to 8 weeks) treatment in the healing and symptom relief of
damaging (erosive) Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).
• to maintain healing of damage (erosions) and relief of heartburn symptoms with
GERD. ACIPHEX has not been studied for treatment lasting longer than 12 months
(1 year).
• for the treatment of day-time and night-time heartburn and other symptoms that
happen with GERD.
• for short-term treatment (up to 4 weeks) in the healing and relief of stomach-area
(duodenal) ulcers. The duodenal area is the area where food passes when it leaves
the stomach. The main symptom of a duodenal ulcer is a steady pain in the stomach
area.
• with certain antibiotic medicines for the treatment of an infection caused by bacteria
called H. pylori. Sometimes H. pylori bacteria can cause duodenal ulcers. The
infection needs to be treated to prevent the ulcers from coming back.
• for the long-term treatment of conditions where your stomach makes too much acid.
This includes a condition called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Your stomach needs acid to help your body digest food. Stomach acid is made by tiny
acid pumps in the cells that line your stomach. If your body makes too much acid or
cannot protect itself against a normal amount of acid, medical problems such as GERD
can happen.
GERD happens when acid in your stomach backs up into the tube (esophagus) that
connects your mouth to your stomach. Stomach acid can damage (erode) the lining of
your esophagus. Some symptoms of GERD are heartburn, sour taste in the back of your
throat and burping.
Who should not take ACIPHEX?
Do not take ACIPHEX if you:
• are allergic to any of the ingredients in ACIPHEX. The active ingredient is rabeprazole
sodium. See the end of this leaflet for a complete list of ingredients in ACIPHEX.
• are allergic to any other medicines called proton pump inhibitors. The other proton
pump inhibitor medicines include lansoprazole (Prevacid®), omeprazole (Prilosec®,
Zegerid®), esomeprazole (Nexium®) and pantoprazole (Protonix®).
What should I tell my doctor before I take ACIPHEX?
Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
• are pregnant or planning to become pregnant It is not known if ACIPHEX can harm
your unborn baby.
• are breastfeeding. It is not known if ACIPHEX passes into your breast milk or if it can
harm your baby. You should choose to breastfeed or take ACIPHEX, but not both. Talk
to your doctor about other ways to feed your baby while taking ACIPHEX.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and
non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. ACIPHEX and
certain medicines can affect each other. This can cause serious side effects. Know the
medicines that you take. Keep a list of them with you and show it to your doctor when
you get a new medicine. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking:
• cyclosporine (Sandimmune®, Neoral®)
• digoxin (Lanoxin®)
• ketoconazole (Nizoral®)
• warfarin (Coumadin®)
How should I take ACIPHEX?
• Take ACIPHEX exactly as prescribed. Your doctor will prescribe the dose that is right
for you and your medical condition. Do not change your dose or stop taking ACIPHEX
unless you talk to your doctor. Take ACIPHEX for as long as it is prescribed even if
you feel better.
• ACIPHEX is usually taken once a day. Your doctor will tell you the time of day to take
ACIPHEX, based on your medical condition.
• ACIPHEX can be taken with or without food.
• Swallow each ACIPHEX tablet whole with water. Do not chew, crush, or split
ACIPHEX tablets because this will damage the tablet and the medicine will not
work. Tell your doctor if you cannot swallow tablets whole. You may need a different
medicine.
• If you miss a dose of ACIPHEX, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your
next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal schedule. Do not take
2 doses at the same time.
• If you take too much ACIPHEX, call your doctor or Poison Control Center right away,
or go to the emergency room.
• Your doctor may prescribe antibiotic medicines with ACIPHEX to help treat a stomach
infection and heal stomach-area (duodenal) ulcers that are caused by bacteria called
H. pylori. Make sure you read the patient information that comes with an antibiotic
before you start taking it.
What are the possible side effects of ACIPHEX?
ACIPHEX, like other proton pump inhibitors, may cause serious allergic
reactions. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include:
• hives
• swelling of your face, eyelids, lips, tongue, or throat and trouble swallowing
• asthma (wheezing) or other breathing problems such as chest tightness or shortness
of breath
• shock (loss of blood pressure and consciousness)
Get emergency help right away if you get any of these symptoms. Stop ACIPHEX
and call your doctor right away if you get a skin rash. The most common side effect
of ACIPHEX is headache.
These are not all the side effects of ACIPHEX. For more information, ask your doctor or
pharmacist
How should I store ACIPHEX?
• Store ACIPHEX in a dry place at room temperature, 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C).
• Keep ACIPHEX and all medicines out ol the reach of children.
General Information about ACIPHEX
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for conditions other than those described in
patient information leaflets. Do not use ACIPHEX for any condition for which it was not
prescribed by your doctor. Do not give ACIPHEX to other people, even if they have the
same symptoms as you. It may harm them.
This leaflet summarizes the most important information about ACIPHEX. If you would
like more information, talk to your doctor. You can also ask your doctor or pharmacist
for information about ACIPHEX that is written for healthcare professionals. For full
product information, visit the website at http://www.aciphex.comy or call the toll free
number 1 -888-4-ACIPHEX or 1 -800 JANSSEN.
What are the ingredients in ACIPHEX?
Active Ingredient: rabeprazole sodium
Inactive Ingredients: camauba wax, crospovidone, diacetylated monoglycerides,
ethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose phthalate, magnesium stearate,
mannitol, sodium hydroxide, sodium stearyl fumarate, talc, titanium dioxide, and yellow
ferric oxide as a coloring agent.
Rx only
The following are registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers:
Aciphex® is a registered trademark of Eisai Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.
Prevacid® (TAP Pharmaceutical Products, Inc.), Prilosec® (AstraZeneca LP),
Nexium® (AstraZeneca LP), Protonix® (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc.),
Zegerid® (Santarus, Inc.), Sandimmune® and Neoral® (Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Corporation), Lanoxin® (GlaxoSmithKline), Nizoral® (Janssen Pharmaceutics Products,
LP), and Coumadin® (Bristol-Myers Squibb Company).
Manufactured and Marketed by Eisai Inc., Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677
Marketed by PriCara, Unit of Ortho-McNeil, Inc., Raritan, NJ 08869
200637 MP Revised February 2007 © 2007 Eisai Inc.