rabeprazole
Brand names: Aciphex
Rabeprazole (Aciphex) is a medicine that reduces the amount of acid your stomach makes. It belongs to a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.20/unit
Generic Available
Yes (6 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This medicine can treat several conditions caused by too much stomach acid.
Common side effects
Pain, Sore throat, Gas
Key warnings
Taking PPIs like rabeprazole may hide signs of stomach cancer, so tell your doctor if your symptoms don't improve.
How It Works
Rabeprazole works by blocking the enzyme in your stomach that produces acid. This helps to lower the amount of acid in your stomach. Lowering stomach acid helps to heal damage and relieve symptoms.
How to Take It
Take rabeprazole tablets exactly as your doctor tells you. Swallow the tablets whole; do not chew, crush, or split them. For duodenal ulcers, take this medicine after your morning meal. For H. pylori, take it with food. For all other conditions, you can take it with or without food.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
It is not known if rabeprazole is safe to use during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store rabeprazole tablets at room temperature, away from moisture.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 13,990 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 21,352 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
21,352
Death-Related Reports
2,472
Hospitalization Reports
9,750
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 1,860 |
| 2 | OFF LABEL USE | 1,771 |
| 3 | NAUSEA | 1,541 |
| 4 | DIARRHOEA | 1,319 |
| 5 | PAIN | 1,314 |
| 6 | HEADACHE | 1,284 |
| 7 | DYSPNOEA | 1,276 |
| 8 | ARTHRALGIA | 1,266 |
| 9 | FATIGUE | 1,210 |
| 10 | MALAISE | 1,149 |
| 11 | PNEUMONIA | 1,096 |
| 12 | FALL | 952 |
| 13 | COUGH | 922 |
| 14 | DIZZINESS | 869 |
| 15 | PYREXIA | 822 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Taking PPIs like rabeprazole may hide signs of stomach cancer, so tell your doctor if your symptoms don't improve. This medicine may also increase your risk of bone fractures, especially if you take it for a long time or at high doses. Long-term use may also cause low vitamin B12 or magnesium levels. Contact your doctor right away if you experience signs of hypersensitivity.
Known Drug Interactions
Combination Therapy with Clarithromycin and Amoxicillin Clinical Impact: Concomitant administration of clarithromycin with other drugs can lead to serious adverse reactions, including potentially fatal arrhythmias, and are contraindicated. Amoxicillin also has drug interactions. See Drug Interactions in prescribing information for amoxicillin.
Mechanism: Rabeprazole changes the acid levels in your stomach, which can affect how the antibiotic amoxicillin is absorbed and used by your body.
What to do: Consult your healthcare provider to ensure these medications are taken correctly for your specific treatment plan.
Combination Therapy with Clarithromycin and Amoxicillin Clinical Impact: Concomitant administration of clarithromycin with other drugs can lead to serious adverse reactions, including potentially fatal arrhythmias, and are contraindicated. Intervention: See Contraindications and Warnings and Precautions in prescribing information for clarithromycin.
Mechanism: Taking these drugs together can change how they are processed, potentially leading to serious and life-threatening heart rhythm issues.
What to do: Talk to your doctor about safer alternatives or close monitoring, as this combination can be very dangerous.
Warfarin Clinical Impact: Increased INR and prothrombin time in patients receiving PPIs, including rabeprazole, and warfarin concomitantly. Dose adjustment of warfarin may be needed to maintain target INR range. See prescribing information for warfarin.
Mechanism: Rabeprazole can cause warfarin to stay in your system longer, which increases the risk of bleeding.
What to do: Your doctor should monitor your blood clotting levels closely and may need to adjust your warfarin dose.
Methotrexate Clinical Impact: Concomitant use of rabeprazole with methotrexate (primarily at high dose) may elevate and prolong serum levels of methotrexate and/or its metabolite hydroxymethotrexate, possibly leading to methotrexate toxicities. No formal drug interaction studies of methotrexate with PPIs have been conducted [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.9 )]. Intervention: A temporary withdrawal of rabeprazole sodium delayed-release tablets may be considered in some patients receiving high dose methotrexate administration.
Mechanism: Rabeprazole can keep methotrexate in your body longer than usual, which might lead to dangerous levels of the drug in your blood.
What to do: Your doctor might have you stop taking rabeprazole for a short time if you are receiving high doses of methotrexate.
Drugs Dependent on Gastric pH for Absorption (e.g., iron salts, erlotinib, dasatinib, nilotinib, mycophenolate mofetil, ketoconazole, itraconazole) Clinical Impact: Rabeprazole can reduce the absorption of other drugs due to its effect on reducing intragastric acidity.
Mechanism: Ketoconazole needs stomach acid to be absorbed into your body, but rabeprazole reduces the amount of acid in your stomach.
What to do: Your doctor may need to monitor you closely to make sure the ketoconazole is still working effectively.
Common Questions
Can I crush or chew the rabeprazole tablet?
Can I take rabeprazole with food?
How long does it take for rabeprazole to work?
What should I do if I still have heartburn while taking rabeprazole?
Can I take rabeprazole long-term?
Are there any foods I should avoid while taking rabeprazole?
Can I take other medications with rabeprazole?
What if I accidentally take too much rabeprazole?
Can rabeprazole cause any serious side effects?
Is it safe to drive or operate machinery while taking rabeprazole?
What are the common side effects of rabeprazole?
Does rabeprazole interact with other medications?
What drug class is rabeprazole?
Is rabeprazole safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI)
Other drugs grouped near rabeprazole — same-class peers and common alternatives.
alosetron
Lotronex
Alosetron (Lotronex) is a medicine for women with severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
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aprepitant
Emend
Aprepitant (Emend) is a medicine that helps prevent nausea and vomiting.
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bisacodyl
Dulcolax
Bisacodyl is a medicine that helps you have a bowel movement.
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bismuth subsalicylate
Pepto-Bismol
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) is a medicine that can treat diarrhea and upset stomach.
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cimetidine
Tagamet
Cimetidine (Tagamet) reduces stomach acid.
Compare with rabeprazole →
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What the FDA Data Shows for rabeprazole
The FDA label for rabeprazole (sold under brand names such as Aciphex) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) class. This medicine can treat several conditions caused by too much stomach acid. Official labeling lists 10 commonly reported side effects, including Pain, Sore throat, Gas.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 13,990 voluntary reports. The database also lists 7 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.20.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: January 7, 2025
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages