“Is Nexium better than Zantac?”
I deal with a lot of heartburn, and I'm looking at which medications are better than others. I'm not sure if I should go with Nexium or Zantac. Which one is better?
5 Answers
Yes, Nexium (and other pills in its class) is a much stronger antiacid than zantac.
It really depends on how often you are having heartburn and when you are going to take the medication.
If you have heartburn less than 3-4 times a week it is fine to use Zantac or the generic ranitidine. This medication can be used even after you experience symptoms of heartburn to give you some relief. And if you take it before you have heartburn it works better. For example, tonight is taco night and you always get heartburn, take the Zantac before starting supper or heading to the restaurant to minimize or prevent the heartburn.
If you have heartburn daily and you are going to take the medication every day, then you can use Nexium. The difference is that Nexium blocks more acid from being produced. But if you wait until you feel the heartburn, that acid is already there in your stomach. You can’t block it and Nexium doesn’t neutralize the acid. The problem though with taking something everyday to block acid if you don’t have heartburn often, is that we need acid in our stomach to digest food. Without the stomach acid, the food doesn’t break down well, we can’t absorb the nutrients, and that leads to a lot of other problems. So even with heartburn daily, I recommend starting with Zantac. And then using the Zantac daily to get better relief.
If you have only occasional heartburn, once in awhile, or you forget to take you medication daily or before you ate...take a Tums or Rolaid, or any other chewable antacid. These neutralize acid and don’t rely on “blocking” to work. They offer quick relief often within minutes. Again, if you need them daily, it is time to consider Zantac.
If you’ve tried this system and the pain worsens or becomes more constant, see your doctor for a full workup to be sure you don’t have an ulcer or another problem that requires medical attention.
If you have heartburn less than 3-4 times a week it is fine to use Zantac or the generic ranitidine. This medication can be used even after you experience symptoms of heartburn to give you some relief. And if you take it before you have heartburn it works better. For example, tonight is taco night and you always get heartburn, take the Zantac before starting supper or heading to the restaurant to minimize or prevent the heartburn.
If you have heartburn daily and you are going to take the medication every day, then you can use Nexium. The difference is that Nexium blocks more acid from being produced. But if you wait until you feel the heartburn, that acid is already there in your stomach. You can’t block it and Nexium doesn’t neutralize the acid. The problem though with taking something everyday to block acid if you don’t have heartburn often, is that we need acid in our stomach to digest food. Without the stomach acid, the food doesn’t break down well, we can’t absorb the nutrients, and that leads to a lot of other problems. So even with heartburn daily, I recommend starting with Zantac. And then using the Zantac daily to get better relief.
If you have only occasional heartburn, once in awhile, or you forget to take you medication daily or before you ate...take a Tums or Rolaid, or any other chewable antacid. These neutralize acid and don’t rely on “blocking” to work. They offer quick relief often within minutes. Again, if you need them daily, it is time to consider Zantac.
If you’ve tried this system and the pain worsens or becomes more constant, see your doctor for a full workup to be sure you don’t have an ulcer or another problem that requires medical attention.
Nexium and Zantac are different classes of medications used to treat heartburn. One isn’t necessarily better than the other. I would start with the Zantac, and if you see that’s doesn't work for you, then take Nexium. If you have frequent heartburn, you should definitely see a gatroenterologist. You don’t want to take either other these medications for an extended period of time without seeing a Doctor to be evaluated about your issue.
Sandy Dela
Pharmaceutical Medicine
Zantac is faster acting and can give you relief quicker within a few hours. Nexium is a stronger medication but does not give relief right away. This may take 1-3 days to give relief so it's more of a long term remedy. If you don't find relief with either of these medications, you may need to see your physician.
Don’t use either for more than 4 weeks. If symptoms return after 4 weeks of use, then visit your doctor.
