Package Insert: Information for the User

Omeprazole Alter 40 mg Hard Gastroresistant Capsules

Omeprazole

Read this package insert carefully before starting to take this medication, as it contains important information for you.

• Keep this package insert, as you may need to read it again.
• If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medication has been prescribed only for you, and you should not give it to others even if they have the same symptoms as you, as it may harm them.
• If you experience any adverse effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if they are not listed in this package insert. See section 4.

1.What is Omeprazole Alter and for what it is used

2.What you need to know before starting to take Omeprazole Alter

3.How to take Omeprazole Alter

4.Possible adverse effects

5.Storage of Omeprazole Alter

6.Contents of the package and additional information

Omeprazol Altercontains the active ingredient omeprazole. It belongs to a group of medications called “proton pump inhibitors”. These medications act by reducing the amount of acid produced by the stomach.

Omeprazol Alter is used to treat the following diseases:

In adults:

• “Gastroesophageal reflux disease” (GERD). In this disorder, stomach acid passes into the esophagus (the tube that connects the throat with the stomach), causing pain, inflammation, and heartburn.
• Ulcers in the upper part of the small intestine (duodenal ulcer) or in the stomach (gastric ulcer).
• Ulcers infected by a bacteria called “Helicobacter pylori”. If you have this disease, it is possible that your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection and allow the ulcer to heal.
• Ulcers caused by certain medications called NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
• Omeprazol Alter can also be used to prevent the formation of ulcers if you are taking NSAIDs.
• Excess acid in the stomach caused by a tumor in the pancreas (Zollinger-Ellison syndrome).

Children over 1 year of age and ≥ 10 kg:

• “Gastroesophageal reflux disease” (GERD). In this disorder, stomach acid passes into the esophagus (the tube that connects the throat with the stomach), causing pain, inflammation, and heartburn.

In children, symptoms of the disease may include the return of stomach contents to the mouth (regurgitation), vomiting, and inadequate weight gain.

Children over 4 years of age and adolescents:

• Ulcers infected by a bacteria called “Helicobacter pylori”. If your child has this disease, it is possible that your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection and allow the ulcer to heal.

Do not take Omeprazol Alter:

• if you are allergic to omeprazole or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
• if you are allergic to medicines that contain proton pump inhibitors (e.g. pantoprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, esomeprazole).
• if you are taking a medicine that contains nelfinavir (used for HIV infection).

Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take omeprazole.

Warnings and precautions

Omeprazole may mask the symptoms of other diseases. Therefore, if you experience any of the following symptoms before starting to take omeprazole or during treatment, consult your doctor immediately:

• lose a lot of weight without apparent reason and have trouble swallowing.
• have stomach pain or indigestion.
• start vomiting food or blood.
• have black stools (blood-stained stools).
• if you have severe or persistent diarrhea, as omeprazole has been associated with a slight increase in infectious diarrhea.
• have severe liver problems.
• if you have ever had a skin reaction after treatment with a similar medicine to omeprazole for reducing stomach acid.
• if you are scheduled to have a specific blood test (Cromogranina A).

If you take omeprazole for a long period (more than 1 year), your doctor will probably perform regular check-ups. You should inform your doctor of any new or unusual symptoms and circumstances whenever you visit your doctor.

Taking a proton pump inhibitor like omeprazole, especially for a period of more than one year, may slightly increase the risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, or spine. Inform your doctor if you have osteoporosis or if you are taking corticosteroids (which may increase the risk of osteoporosis).

If you have a skin rash, especially in sun-exposed areas, consult your doctor as soon as possible, as it may be necessary to interrupt treatment with omeprazole. Remember to mention any other symptoms you may notice, such as joint pain

Omeprazol Alter with other medicines

Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have taken recently, or may have to take any other medicine, including those obtained without a prescription.Omeprazolemay affect the mechanism of action of some medicines and some medicines may affect omeprazole

Do not take omeprazole if you are taking a medicine that contains nelfinavir (used to treat HIV infection).

Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• Ketoconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole, or voriconazole (used to treat fungal infections)
• Digoxin (used to treat heart problems)
• Diazepam (used to treat anxiety, relax muscles, or epilepsy)
• Phenytoin (used in epilepsy). If you are taking phenytoin, your doctor will have to monitor you when starting or stopping treatment with omeprazole
• Medicines used to prevent blood clotting, such as warfarin or other vitamin K antagonists. Your doctor will have to monitor you when starting or stopping treatment with omeprazole
• Rifampicin (used to treat tuberculosis)
• Atazanavir (used to treat HIV infection)
• Tacrolimus (in cases of organ transplantation)
• St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) (used to treat mild depression)
• Cilostazol (used to treat intermittent claudication)
• Saquinavir (used to treat HIV infection)
• Clopidogrel (used to prevent blood clots)
• Erlotinib (used to treat cancer)
• Methotrexate (chemotherapy medicine used in high doses to treat cancer) - if you are taking a high dose of methotrexate, your doctor will have to temporarily stop treatment with omeprazole

If your doctor, in addition to omeprazole, has prescribed the antibiotics amoxicillin and clarithromycin to treat ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, it is very important that you inform your doctor of any other medicines you are taking.

When taking omeprazole, inflammation of the kidneys may occur. The signs and symptoms may include decreased urine volume or blood in the urine and/or hypersensitivity reactions such as fever, skin rash, and joint stiffness. You should inform your doctor of these signs.

Omeprazol Alter with food and drinks

You can take your capsules with food or on an empty stomach. Do not chew or crush them. You should swallow the capsules whole with a glass of water.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or think you may be pregnant or trying to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.

Omeprazole is excreted in breast milk, but it is unlikely to affect the baby when used in therapeutic doses. Your doctor will decide if you can take omeprazole while breastfeeding.

Driving and operating machinery

Omeprazole Alter is unlikely to affect your ability to drive or use tools or machines. Adverse effects such as dizziness and visual disturbances (see section 4) may occur. If they do, you should not drive or use machines.

Omeprazol Alter contains Saccharose

If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to certain sugars, consult with them before taking this medicine.

Follow exactly the administration instructions of this medication as indicated by your doctor. In case of doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

Your doctor will tell you how many capsules to take and for how long. This will depend on your condition and age.

The recommended dose is:

Treatment of symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), such asheartburn and acid regurgitation:

• If your doctor checks that you have mild damage to the esophagus, the recommended dose is 20 mg once a day for 4-8 weeks. Your doctor may prescribe a dose of 40 mg for another 8 weeks if the esophagus has not yet healed.
• The recommended dose once the esophagus has healed is 10 mg once a day.
• If you do not have damage to the esophagus, the recommended dose is 10 mg once a day.

Treatment ofulcers in the upper part of the intestine (duodenal ulcer):

• The recommended dose is 20 mg once a day for 2 weeks. Your doctor may prescribe the same dose for another 2 weeks if the ulcer has not yet healed.
• If the ulcer does not heal completely, the dose may be increased to 40 mg once a day for 4 weeks.

Treatment ofstomach ulcers (gastric ulcer):

• The recommended dose is 20 mg once a day for 4 weeks. Your doctor may prescribe the same dose for another 4 weeks if the ulcer has not yet healed.
• If the ulcer does not heal completely, the dose may be increased to 40 mg once a day for 8 weeks.

Preventionof the reappearance ofstomach and duodenal ulcers:

• The recommended dose is 10 mg or 20 mg once a day. Your doctor may increase the dose to 40 mg once a day.

Treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs):

• The recommended dose is 20 mg once a day for 4-8 weeks.

Prevention of stomach and duodenal ulcersduring the administration ofNSAIDs:

• The recommended dose is 20 mg once a day.

Treatment ofulcers causedby the infectionbyHelicobacter pyloriandprevention of their reappearance:

• The recommended dose is 20 mg of Omeprazole Alter twice a day for a week.
• Your doctor will also tell you to take two antibiotics from the following: amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole.

Treatment of excess acid in the stomach caused by atumor in the pancreas (Zollinger-Ellison syndrome):

• The recommended dose is 60 mg per day.
• Your doctor will adjust the dose according to your needs and will also decide for how long you should take the medication.

Use in children

Treatment of symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), such asheartburn and acid regurgitation:

• Children over 1 year of age who weigh more than 10 kg may take Omeprazole Alter. The dose for children is based on body weight, and your doctor will decide the correct dose.

Treatment ofulcers causedby the infectionbyHelicobacter pyloriand prevention of their reappearance:

• Children over 4 years old may take Omeprazole Alter. The dose for children is based on body weight, and your doctor will decide the correct dose.
• Your doctor will also prescribe two antibiotics for your child, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin.

How to take this medication

• It is recommended to take the capsules in the morning.
• You can take your capsules with food or on an empty stomach.
• Swallow the capsules whole with half a glass of water. Do not chew or crush the capsules, as they contain coated granules that prevent the medication from breaking down in the stomach acid. It is essential not to damage the granules.

What to do if you or your child have trouble swallowing the capsules

• If you or your child have trouble swallowing the capsules:
• • Open the capsules and swallow the contents directly with half a glass of water or pour the contents into a glass of water without gas, a sour fruit juice (e.g., apple, orange, or pineapple), or a cooked apple puree.
  • Always shake the mixture just before drinking it (the mixture will not be transparent). Then, drink the mixture immediately or within 30 minutes.
  • To ensure that all the medication has been taken, fill the glass of water to half, rinse it well, and drink the water. The solid parts contain the medication; do not chew or crush them.

If you take more Omeprazole Alter than you should

If you have taken more Omeprazole Alter than prescribed by your doctor, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately. You can also call the Toxicological Information Service, phone 91 562 04 20, indicating the medication and the amount taken.

If you forget to take Omeprazole Alter

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if there is little time left for the next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not take a double dose to compensate for the missed doses.

Like all medicines, this medicine may cause side effects, although not everyone will experience them.

If you experience any of the following rare but serious side effects, stop taking omeprazole and consult your doctor immediately:

• Sudden hissing sounds while breathing (sudden onset of bronchospasm), swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat or body, skin rash, fainting, or difficulty swallowing (severe allergic reaction).
• Redness of the skin with blistering or peeling. Intense blisters and bleeding in the lips, eyes, mouth, nose, and genitals may also occur. This could be "Stevens-Johnson syndrome" or "toxic epidermal necrolysis."
• Yellowing of the skin, dark urine, and fatigue, which may be symptoms of liver problems.

Other side effects are:

Frequent side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

• Headache.
• Effects on the stomach or intestines: diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation, and gas (flatulence).
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Benign polyps in the stomach.

Less frequent side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• Swelling of the feet and ankles.
• Sleep disturbances (insomnia).
• Dizziness, tingling sensation, drowsiness.
• Sensation of spinning (vertigo).
• Abnormal blood test results that check liver function.
• Skin rash, hives, and itching.
• General feeling of discomfort and lack of energy.

Rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)

• Blood problems, such as a decrease in white blood cells or platelets. This can cause weakness or bruising and increase the risk of infections.
• Severe allergic reactions, sometimes very intense, including swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat, fever, and bronchospasm.
• Low sodium levels in the blood. This can cause weakness, vomiting, and muscle cramps.
• Agitation, confusion, or depression.
• Changes in taste.
• Visual problems, such as blurred vision.
• Sudden sensation of difficult breathing (bronchospasm).
• Dry mouth.
• Inflammation of the inside of the mouth.
• Infection called "candidiasis" that can affect the intestines and is caused by a fungus.
• Liver problems, such as jaundice, which can cause yellowing of the skin, dark urine, and fatigue.
• Hair loss (alopecia).
• Skin rash with exposure to sunlight.
• Joint pain (arthralgias) or muscle pain (myalgias).
• Severe kidney problems (interstitial nephritis).
• Increased sweating.

Very rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)

• Abnormal blood counts, such as agranulocytosis (lack of white blood cells).
• Aggression.
• To see, feel, or hear things that do not exist (hallucinations).
• Severe liver problems that cause liver failure and brain inflammation.
• Sudden onset of intense rash, blistering, or peeling of the skin. This may be accompanied by high fever and joint pain (erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis).
• Muscle weakness.
• Enlargement of the breasts in men.

Unknown frequency (cannot be estimated from available data)

• Inflammation in the intestines (which causes diarrhea).

• If you are taking omeprazole for more than three months, it is possible that your magnesium levels in the blood will decrease. Low magnesium levels can manifest as fatigue, involuntary muscle contractions, disorientation, seizures, dizziness, or increased heart rate. If you experience any of these symptoms, inform your doctor immediately. Low magnesium levels can also lead to a reduction in potassium or calcium levels in the blood. Your doctor may decide to perform regular tests to monitor your magnesium levels.
• Skin rash, possibly with joint pain.

In very rare cases, omeprazole alter may affect white blood cells in the blood and cause immunodeficiency. If you experience an infection with symptoms such as fever with a severely deteriorated general condition or fever with local infection symptoms, such as neck pain, throat pain, or mouth pain or difficulty urinating, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible to perform a blood test and rule out a lack of white blood cells (agranulocytosis). It is essential to provide information about the medication you are taking at that time.

Reporting side effects

If you experience any type of side effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible side effect that does not appear in this prospectus. You can also report them directly through the Spanish System for the Pharmacovigilance of Medicines for Human Use:https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information about the safety of this medication.

• Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.

• Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the packaging after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.

• Aluminum/Aluminum Blister:

Store below 86°F (30°C).

Store in the original packaging to protect it from moisture.

• PVC-PVDC/Aluminum Blister:

Store below 77°F (25°C).

Store in the original packaging to protect it from moisture.

• HDPE Bottle:

No special storage conditions are required.

Valid period after the first opening of the bottle: 100 days.

Keep the bottle perfectly closed to protect it from moisture.

• Medications should not be disposed of through drains or in the trash. Deposit the packaging and medications you no longer need at the SIGRE collection point at the pharmacy. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medications you no longer need. In this way, you will help protect the environment.

Composition of Omeprazol Alter

• The active ingredient is omeprazole. Omeprazol Alter hard-gastroresistent capsules contain 40 mg of omeprazole.
• The other components are sugar spheres (sucrose and cornstarch), hypromellose (E-464),talc (E-553b), titanium dioxide (E-171), dihydrogen phosphate of disodium dihydrate(E-339 ii), sodium lauryl sulfate, polisorbate 80,copolymer of methacrylic acid and ethyl acrylate, triethyl citrate (E-1505).Capsule:gelatin, titanium dioxide (E-171). See section 2 Omeprazol Altercontains Sucrose.

Appearance of the product and content of the container

Omeprazol Alter 40 mghard-gastroresistent capsules are hard gelatin capsules of white opaque color marked with OM40, which contain spherical granules.

HDPE white bottle with cap and safety ring equipped with a desiccant agent: 14 and 28 capsules.

Alu/Alu blister: 14 and 28 capsules.

PVC-PVDC/Al blister: 14 and 28 capsules.

Only some container sizes may be commercially marketed.

Marketing authorization holder and responsible manufacturer

Marketing authorization holder

Laboratorios Alter, S.A.

Mateo Inurria, 30

28036 Madrid

Spain

Responsible manufacturer

Towa Pharmaceutical Europe S.L.C/ Sant Martí, 75-97

08107 Martorelles, Barcelona

Spain

Last review date of this leaflet: March 2023

The detailed and updated information of this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS)http://www.aemps.gob.es/.