Pharmacokinetics of intravenous omeprazole in critically ill paediatric patients.

The proton pump inhibitors are first-line drugs for the treatment of a number of gastrointestinal diseases. These drugs have a good safety profile, making it possible to use them in paediatric patients. Although their pharmacokinetics in children has not been extensively studied, research performed suggests that the dose used should be varied as a function of age, as this factor affects the drug's metabolism. Proton pump inhibitors can be used in critically ill children for the prophylaxis and treatment of gastrointestinal haemorrhage, although there is still little experience with this. The most widely used proton pump inhibitor at the present time is omeprazole. As there are specific characteristics of these patients that could alter the pharmacokinetics of the drugs, studies need to be performed to determine the most suitable dose and dosage interval.