Nexium and Prevacid are medications used to control acid production in the stomach. There are benefits to using either medication, but that does not mean that neither comes without disadvantages. The main ingredients in both Nexium and Prevacid belong to a class of medications called proton pump inhibitors.

The main active ingredient in Nexium is esomeprazole. Nexium tablets are available in varying strengths containing either 20mg or 40mg of esomeprazole. The main ingredient in Prevacid is lansoprazole, which is in the same class of proton pump inhibitor as Nexium. Prevacid comes in 15mg or 30mg capsules.

Nexium and Prevacid are used to treat gastroesophagea reflux disease and stomach ulcers. They are also used to reduce the risk of developing stomach ulcers in the first place. They work by either reducing the amount of acid in the stomach or slowing down the production of acid to the stomach.

Nexium comes in oblong pink tablets. Depending on the strength, Nexium tablets will have a “20mg” or “40mg” marking on one side of them and have an “A/EH” marking on the other side. Prevacid comes in either pink and green or pink and black hard gelatin, time-release capsules. The 15mg capsules are pink and green and are imprinted with a “15” marking, while the 30mg capsules are pink and black and are imprinted with the number 30.

Any medication can result in unwanted side effects. Some of the side effects associated with taking Nexium include abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth and headaches. Side effects associated with Prevacid are nearly the same with the addition of the possibilities of getting a runny nose and having difficulty sleeping. Neither Nexium nor Prevacid should be used if there are symptoms of an allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing or swelling of the tongue, mouth or throat.

A doctor or pharmacist should be consulted before taken any medications regularly. Neither Nexium nor Prevacid are recommended to be taken by pregnant women because adequate studies on the long-term effects of these medications on pregnant women have not yet been completed. Consumers should never take more than the recommended doses as it may increase the likelihood of experiencing harmful side effects.