Update: Tecta is linked to elevated risk of contracting COVID-19 – find more details here

What is Tecta? How does Tecta work?

Tecta (pantoprazole) is prescribed to treat gastrointestinal ulcers, or for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which includes heartburn and acid reflux, and reflux esophagitis.

Tecta is part of a family of drugs called Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs). These drugs block Proton Pumps, which are cells in your stomach that are responsible for producing stomach acid. PPI drugs reduce stomach acidity to prevent ulcers,  reflux, and GERD.

There are many causes of high stomach acidity, some of which you can control such as your lifestyle and diet. Others are not easily managed, such as your unique genetic makeup and the composition of bacteria in your digestive system, notably H. pylori, which can cause various digestive system issues.

Is Tecta effective for everyone?

While in general Tecta and other PPIs are considered safe and effective, medications are not one-size-fits-all and this can lead to ineffective treatment or adverse side effects. Headaches, dizziness, nausea, stomach pains, gas, and diarrhea are just some of the side effects you may have experienced if you’ve ever taken Tecta or other PPIs. The more serious side effects of PPIs can include the increased risk of cognitive decline, lung infections, and bone fractures.

Each of us differs in how our bodies respond to drugs due to individual differences in drug metabolism that are based on your unique genetics. In fact, 95% of people have genetic variations that determine how they’ll respond to drugs.

The standard dose of a PPI medication like Tecta can end up being too little or too much for many people, leading to side effects for some and ineffective treatment for others.

A DNA-based drug response test like Pillcheck can determine if pantoprazole is suitable for you and help to reduce adverse side effects

Your unique genetic composition plays a key role in determining how effective Tecta is for you and your risk of experiencing side effects.

Pantoprazole (Tecta), as with most other PPIs, is metabolized and cleared from your bloodstream by enzymes in your liver, in this case, the CYP2C19 enzyme.

If you are experiencing adverse side effects from Tecta, a DNA-based drug response test known as a pharmacogenetic test may show whether you are a slow metabolizer for all PPIs (dexlansoprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, and rabeprazole). This means that your body is not metabolizing Tecta fast enough, causing the drug to accumulate to dangerous levels in your blood. The buildup of PPIs to toxic levels can block the absorption of calcium, magnesium and other nutrients. In this case, your physician should consider decreasing your dosage or switching you to another medication.

If you feel that Tecta does not relieve your symptoms, there is a good chance that a pharmacogenetic test will show that you are a fast (rapid) metabolizer, and there’s not enough of the drug circulating in your bloodstream to relieve your symptoms. In this case, your physician may consider increasing your Tecta dose or switching your prescription to other PPI, such as rabeprazole, which is less affected by CYP2C19 activity or another type of drug altogether. Tecta is an essential part of your H. pylori treatment regimen, and if this drug is not working as desired, the consequences can be quite severe: uncontrolled H. pylori infection leads to stomach cancer, which is caused by chronic inflammation and tissue damage.

A recent study on ulcer patients that assessed the effects of H. pylori treatment (antibiotic and the PPI omeprazole), vitamins and minerals (C, E, and selenium) and garlic supplementation confirmed the effect on the prevention of gastric cancer. A protective effect of H. pylori treatment with PPIs and antibiotics on gastric cancer incidence persisted for 22 years after the treatment. Yet, the excessive use of Tecta and other PPIs was also linked to increased risk of cancer.

The effectiveness and appropriate dosage of PPIs like Tecta depends on how your body metabolizes these drugs, and this is determined by your genetic makeup. A DNA-based drug response test like Pillcheck can assist you and your physician to determine how well you will respond to Tecta or other Proton Pump Inhibitors so you can avoid adverse side effects and find an effective treatment sooner.

The same liver enzyme CYP2C19 is responsible for the metabolism of 20% of prescription drugs.  For example, key antidepressants (escitalopram, citalopram, sertraline), antifungal medications (voriconazole), and a key anti blood clotting drug called clopidogrel are metablolized through the CYP2C19 gene. If you have a poor response to Tecta, you are also at high risk for a poor experience with these medications and many others.

Pillcheck will also reveal your drug metabolism profile for over 70% of common prescriptions and can be a powerful tool to help you and your physician improve both the safety and effectiveness of your prescription drugs.

Pillcheck costs $599 CDN plus applicable taxes and many insurance plans cover Pillcheck under extended healthcare benefits and health spending accounts. Check directly with your plan for more details about coverage and visit our reimbursement page for more information.

Important Points to remember:

• Tecta and other PPIs are important for controlling GERD symptoms, and clear H. pylori infections which can cause many stomach ailments including ulcers.
• Excessive as well as insufficient Tecta doses may lead to increased risk of stomach cancer and other side effects.
• A pharmacogenetic test like Pillcheck can help your physician to determine the appropriate dose of Tecta and other PPIs for you, or suggest the best alternative medications.
• The gene that is responsible for metabolizing PPI drugs is also responsible for metabolizing 20% of all medications. If you aren’t responding to a PPI drug normally, you may experience side effects or ineffective treatment with many other medications that Pillcheck reports on.
• Your DNA does not change so your Pillcheck results are good for your lifetime!

Selected references:

Tetsuhide Ito and Robert T. Jensen Association of Long-term Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy with Bone Fractures and effects on Absorption of Calcium, Vitamin B12, Iron, and Magnesium Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2010 Dec; 12(6): 448–457.

Joo MK, Park JJ, Chun HJ. Proton pump inhibitor: The dual role in gastric cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2019; 25(17): 2058-2070

Li WQ et al., Effects of Helicobacter pylori treatment and vitamin and garlic supplementation on gastric cancer incidence and mortality: follow-up of a randomized intervention trial. BMJ. 2019 Sep 11;366:l5016. doi: 10.1136/bmj.l5016.