MEDICATION GUIDE

NEXIUM ® (nex-e-um) NEXIUM ® (nex-e-um)

(esomeprazole magnesium) (esomeprazole magnesium)

delayed-release capsules, for oral use for delayed-release oral suspension

What is the most important information I should know about NEXIUM?

NEXIUM may help your acid-related symptoms, but you could still have serious stomach problems. Talk with your doctor.

NEXIUM can cause serious side effects, including:

• A type of kidney problem (acute tubulointerstitial nephritis). Some people who take proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medicines, including NEXIUM, may develop a kidney problem called acute tubulointerstitial nephritis that can happen at any time during treatment with NEXIUM. Call your doctor right away if you have a decrease in the amount that you urinate or if you have blood in your urine.
• Diarrhea caused by an infection ( Clostridium difficile) in your intestines. Call your doctor right away if you have watery stools or stomach pain that does not go away. You may or may not have a fever.
• Bone fractures (hip, wrist, or spine). Bone fractures in the hip, wrist, or spine may happen in people who take multiple daily doses of PPI medicines and for a long period of time (a year or longer). Tell your doctor if you have a bone fracture, especially in the hip, wrist, or spine.
• Certain types of lupus erythematosus. Lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disorder (the body’s immune cells attack other cells or organs in the body). Some people who take PPI medicines, including NEXIUM, may develop certain types of lupus erythematosus or have worsening of the lupus they already have. Call your doctor right away if you have new or worsening joint pain or a rash on your cheeks or arms that gets worse in the sun.

Talk to your doctor about your risk of these serious side effects.

NEXIUM can have other serious side effects. See “ What are the possible side effects of NEXIUM?”

What is NEXIUM?

A prescription medicine called a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) used to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach.

NEXIUM is used in adults for:

• 4 to 8 weeks for the healing and symptom relief of acid-related damage to the esophagus (erosive esophagitis or EE). Your doctor may prescribe another 4-8 weeks of NEXIUM in patients whose EE does not heal.
• maintaining healing of EE.
• 4-8 weeks to treat heartburn and other symptoms that happen with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• up to 6 months to reduce the risk of stomach ulcers in some people taking pain medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
• treating patients with a stomach infection ( Helicobacter pylori) and a stomach ulcer, along with the antibiotics amoxicillin and clarithromycin.
• the long-term treatment of conditions where your stomach makes too much acid, including Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome. Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome is a rare condition in which the stomach produces a more than normal amount of acid.

NEXIUM is used in children and adolescents 12 to 17 years of age for:

• 4 to 8 weeks to heal EE.
• 4 weeks to treat heartburn and other symptoms that happen with GERD.

NEXIUM is used in children 1 to 11 years of age for:

• 8 weeks to heal EE.
• up to 8 weeks to treat heartburn and other symptoms that happen with GERD.

NEXIUM is used in children 1 month to less than 1 year of age to treat GERD with EE for up to 6 weeks.

It is not known if NEXIUM is safe and effective in children under 1 month of age for the treatment of GERD with EE.

It is not known if NEXIUM is safe and effective in children less than 1 year of age for the treatment of GERD symptoms.

It is not known if NEXIUM is safe and effective in children to reduce the risk of stomach ulcers in children who take medicines called NSAIDs, to treat Helicobacter pylori stomach infection to lower the risk of a stomach ulcer returning, and to treat conditions where your stomach makes too much acid.

Do not take NEXIUM if you are:

• allergic to esomeprazole magnesium, any other PPI medicine, or any of the ingredients in NEXIUM. See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in NEXIUM.

Tell your doctor right away or get emergency medical help if you get any of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction with NEXIUM:

• • rash
  • face swelling
  • throat tightness
  • difficulty breathing
• taking a medicine that contains rilpivirine (EDURANT, COMPLERA, ODEFSEY) used to treat HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).

Before taking NEXIUM, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• have low magnesium levels, low calcium levels and low potassium levels in your blood.
• have liver problems.
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if NEXIUM will harm your unborn baby.
• are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. NEXIUM may pass into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take NEXIUM.

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Especially tell your doctor if you take: clopidogrel (Plavix), methotrexate (Otrxup, Rasuvo, Trexall, XATMEP), digoxin (LANOXIN), rilpivirine (EDURANT), St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum), or rifampin (Rimactane, Rifater, Rifamate).

How should I take NEXIUM?

• Take NEXIUM exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
• Do not change your dose or stop NEXIUM without talking to your doctor.
• Take NEXIUM at least 1 hour before a meal.
• Antacids may be taken with NEXIUM.
• Swallow NEXIUM capsules whole. Never chew or crush NEXIUM.
• If you have difficulty swallowing NEXIUM capsules, you may open the capsule and empty the granules into 1 tablespoon of applesauce. The applesauce used should not be hot and should be soft enough to swallow without chewing. Do not mix the NEXIUM granules with any other food.
• Do not crush or chew the granules. Be sure to swallow the applesauce right away. Throw away any remaining mixture. Do not store it for later use.
• If you forget to take a dose of NEXIUM, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, do not take the missed dose. Take the next dose on time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
• If you take too much NEXIUM, call your doctor or local poison control center right away at 1-800-222-1222, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
• See the Instructions for Use at the end of this Medication Guide for instructions how to take NEXIUM for delayed-release oral suspension, and how to mix and give NEXIUM delayed-release capsules and NEXIUM for delayed-release oral suspension through a nasogastric tube or gastric tube.

What are the possible side effects of NEXIUM?

NEXIUM can cause serious side effects, including:

• See “What is the most important information I should know about NEXIUM?”
• Low vitamin B-12 levels in your body can happen in people who have taken NEXIUM for a long time (more than 3 years). Tell your doctor if you have symptoms of low vitamin B-12 levels, including shortness of breath, lightheadedness, irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, pale skin, feeling tired, mood changes, and tingling or numbness in the arms and legs.
• Low magnesium levels in your body can happen in people who have taken NEXIUM for at least 3 months.
• Tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of low magnesium levels, including seizures, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, jitteriness, muscle aches or weakness, and spasms of hands, feet or voice.
• Stomach growths (fundic gland polyps). People who take PPI medicines for a long time have an increased risk of developing a certain type of stomach growths called fundic gland polyps, especially after taking PPI medicines for more than 1 year.
• Severe skin reactions. NEXIUM can cause rare but severe skin reactions that may affect any part of your body. These serious skin reactions may need to be treated in a hospital and may be life threatening:
  • Skin rash which may have blistering, peeling or bleeding on any part of your skin (including your lips, eyes, mouth, nose, genitals, hands or feet).
  • You may also have fever, chills, body aches, shortness of breath, or enlarged lymph nodes.

Stop taking NEXIUM and call your doctor right away. These symptoms may be the first sign of a severe skin reaction.

The most common side effects of NEXIUM may include: