Posted on 08/13/2023 8:52:23 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
People who take acid reflux medications called proton pump inhibitors for four-and-a-half years or more may have a higher risk of dementia compared to people who do not take these medications, according to research. This study does not prove that acid reflux drugs cause dementia; it only shows an association.
"Proton pump inhibitors are a useful tool to help control acid reflux, however long-term use has been linked in previous studies to a higher risk of stroke, bone fractures and chronic kidney disease," said study author Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, MBBS, Ph.D.
The study included 5,712 people, age 45 and older, who did not have dementia at the start of the study. They had an average age of 75.
Participants were then followed for a median duration of 5.5 years. During this time, 585 people, or 10%, developed dementia.
Of the 4,222 people who did not take the drugs, 415 people developed dementia, or 19 cases per 1,000 person-years. Person-years represent both the number of people in the study and the amount of time each person spends in the study. Of the 497 people who took the drugs for more than 4.4 years, 58 people developed dementia, or 24 cases per 1,000 person years.
After adjusting for factors such as age, sex and race, as well as health-related factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes, researchers found people who had been taking acid reflux drugs for more than 4.4 years had a 33% higher risk of developing dementia than people who never took the drugs.
Researchers did not find a higher risk of dementia for people who took the drugs for fewer than 4.4 years.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
I’ve been taking Omeprazole for decades and Dexlansoprazole (Dexilant) for more than a decade. Ugh. I should be upset about this but it only result in me needing to take more PPIs.
I took omeprazole for years and found it very effective. However, I was concerned about side effects of long term use, and if I ran out, my heartburn would return worse than ever after only 2 days. It has that rebound effect. My doctor weaned me off it over a period of about two months and then started me on famotidine. Much safer and much cheaper. I’ve been fine with it.
I’ve read you can’t take it daily though.
It really works great!
Good Gravy! Where do I stand ?
Miner ‘49er
I’ve been taking acid reflux meds for 15+ yrs so I guess I’m screwed oh well considering how bad things are now in the US what’s to remember
I used to suffer and take antacids to cope. Acid reflux in the middle of the night became regular occurrence.
But a few years ago I tried a last chance zero carb diet and the first morning after I was very surprised to discover no trace of reflux. It came back once after I ate some pastry and lasted a day. I think it wasn’t the sugars but the wheat flour or some additive that is causing the acid reflux. Stopped eating certain foods will stop some stomach problems.
BTTT!!!
It's basically Alka-Seltzer without the aspirin (and carbonation).
-PJ
I need to try that different medication. Cannot miss a day of omeprazole without heartburn.
I was prescribed a PPI, Pantoprozole, because Acid Reflux was damaging my esophagus and causing my throat to close up. It came to a head when my throat closed up for 14 hours, during which time I could not swallow anything, not even water. This lead to an ER visit at 4 A.M.
I’ve been taking the medication for 6 years now. Is it too late for me now?
Reading too many such articles will cause dementia and paranoia.
I take 40 mg of pepcid, which is not a PPI and is a much safer drug, every night. It works very well, with only a few breakthrough episodes of gastric reflux, about 4 or 5 times a year. When PPIs came out, about 40 years ago, there was a warning that they not be used more than 6 weeks, but a lot of GI doctors prescribed them long-term, because they were so effective at reducing stomach acid. We’re just recently beginning to understand the importance of the gut biome to overall health.
I’ve been taking Omeprazole for 20 years or so. Am I supposed to stop eating spaghetti, chocolate and drinking alcohol (no, I am not overweight)? No thanks.
The study showed the problem clearly at the 5.5 year mark, when more people were already showing official dementia.
I would think taking a different approach and changing off PPIs could benefit the long term outcomes.
Try Pepto Bismol tablets plus change your diet.
I use to eat chocolate bars and ice cream and drink coke. That was messing up my innards. I tried other medicine to fix the issue but it was the pink pills that did it and me changing my diet.
Lookup something called “Reflux Gourmet.”
Also useful for intermittent fasting.
No, calcium channel blockers are a no-no for me. I've had heart failure, and now have a pacemaker. I don't need to relax my heart any more than it already is. :)
I have an annual check-up coming in a few weeks. I'll ask my doc about alternatives. If I can still remember by then.
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