What are the recommended medications and dosages for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection?

Medical Advisory BoardAll articles are reviewed for accuracy by our Medical Advisory Board
Educational purpose only • Exercise caution as content is pending human review
Article Review Status
Submitted
Under Review
Approved

Last updated: February 19, 2025View editorial policy

Personalize

Help us tailor your experience

Which best describes you? Your choice helps us use language that's most understandable for you.

From the Guidelines

For the treatment of H. pylori infection, I recommend a combination therapy consisting of:

  • Concomitant non-bismuth quadruple therapy:
    • Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) twice daily, such as omeprazole 20mg or esomeprazole 20mg 1
    • Amoxicillin 1000mg twice daily
    • Metronidazole 500mg twice daily
    • Clarithromycin 500mg twice daily
  • Bismuth quadruple therapy:
    • PPI twice daily, such as omeprazole 20mg or esomeprazole 20mg 1
    • Bismuth subsalicylate 525mg four times daily
    • Metronidazole 250mg four times daily
    • Tetracycline 500mg four times daily for a duration of 14 days 1. It's essential to note that treatment should be individualized based on patient-specific factors, such as antibiotic allergy history and resistance patterns 1. In cases of refractory H. pylori infection, higher doses of metronidazole (1.5-2g daily) and high-dose PPIs may be considered 1. Additionally, penicillin allergy testing should be considered in patients labeled as having a penicillin allergy to potentially enable the use of amoxicillin 1.

From the FDA Drug Label

  1. 4 Dosage for H. pyloriInfection in Adults Triple therapy:The recommended adult oral dose is 1 gram amoxicillin, 500 mg clarithromycin, and 30 mg lansoprazole, all given twice daily (every 12 hours) for 14 days. Dual therapy:The recommended adult oral dose is 1 gram amoxicillin and 30 mg lansoprazole, each given three times daily (every 8 hours) for 14 days.

The recommended medications and dosages for H. pylori infection are:

  • Triple therapy:
    • Amoxicillin: 1 gram, twice daily
    • Clarithromycin: 500 mg, twice daily
    • Lansoprazole: 30 mg, twice daily
  • Dual therapy:
    • Amoxicillin: 1 gram, three times daily
    • Lansoprazole: 30 mg, three times daily Both therapies are given for 14 days 2

From the Research

Recommended Medications for H. pylori Infection

The following medications and dosages are recommended for the treatment of H. pylori infection:

  • Dual therapy with omeprazole (120 mg daily, divided into 3 doses of 40 mg) and amoxicillin (3 x 750 mg daily for 14 days) has been shown to achieve an H. pylori eradication rate of over 90% 3
  • Concomitant nonbismuth quadruple therapy (proton pump inhibitor + amoxicillin + metronidazole + clarithromycin) and traditional bismuth quadruple therapy (proton pump inhibitor + bismuth + metronidazole + tetracycline) are recommended as first-line strategies for 14 days 4
  • PPI triple therapy (PPI + clarithromycin + either amoxicillin or metronidazole) is restricted to areas with known low clarithromycin resistance or high eradication success with these regimens 4
  • Rescue therapies include bismuth quadruple therapy and levofloxacin-containing therapy (PPI + amoxicillin + levofloxacin) 4
  • Rifabutin regimens should be restricted to patients who have failed to respond to at least 3 prior options 4
  • Nitrofurantoin quadruple therapy has been shown to be effective in eradicating H. pylori, but its efficacy is reduced in the presence of metronidazole resistance 5
  • Amoxicillin-clavulanate combination has been shown to have a higher activity than amoxicillin alone against H. pylori, and beta-lactamase inhibitors have been shown to have 'in-vitro' antibacterial activity against H. pylori 6
  • High-dose dual therapy (proton-pump-inhibitor plus amoxicillin) and vonoprazan, a more potent acid inhibitor, are promising alternatives that could decrease misuse of antibiotics 7

Dosage and Treatment Duration

The recommended treatment duration for H. pylori infection is 14 days 4 The following dosages are recommended:

  • Omeprazole: 120 mg daily, divided into 3 doses of 40 mg 3
  • Amoxicillin: 3 x 750 mg daily for 14 days 3
  • Clarithromycin: 500 mg twice daily for 14 days 4
  • Metronidazole: dose not specified 4
  • Tetracycline: dose not specified 4
  • Levofloxacin: dose not specified 4
  • Rifabutin: dose not specified 4
  • Nitrofurantoin: 100 mg three times daily for 14 days 5
  • Amoxicillin-clavulanate: 875 mg plus 125 mg clavulanic acid twice daily for 7 days 6

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

Have a follow-up question?

Our Medical A.I. is used by practicing medical doctors at top research institutions around the world. Ask any follow up question and get world-class guideline-backed answers instantly.