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Heartburn drugs might be linked to higher risk of kidney failure, study claims
Posted 8 years ago
Latest research highlights kidney failure and kidney disease as another potential risk from taking PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) - i.e. prescription and over-the-counter drugs taken for heartburn, such as Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, Protonix, Aciphex, etc. The study was released Thursday in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Looking at data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the study's authors found 173,321 people who used PPIs and 20,270 took a PPI alternative known as histamine H2 receptor blockers. The authors, who work at Washington University in St. Louis and at the Clinical Epidemiology Center at the VA St. Louis Health Care System, analyzed data from these patients five years later.They found that a large percentage of those patients who were taking PPIs were now having more kidney problems than those patients who took the alternative histamine H2 receptor blockers.
Patients who took PPIs had a 96% increased risk of developing kidney failure and a 28% increased risk of chronic kidney disease compared to the patients who took the histamine H2 receptor blockers.Earlier studies have shown that taking PPIs have been linked to acute interstitial nephritis, also a problem that may be likely to end in kidney failure. A study that ran online in JAMA in January also found a link between PPIs and a higher risk of chronic kidney disease, also known as CKD.Like this study, it also was observational and doesn't provide evidence of causality, but as the earlier study said, "even a casual relationship between PPI use and CKD could have a considerable public health effect given the widespread extent of use."
Previous research has shown more risks involved in taking PPIs:
Other side effects from taking PPIs include an increased risk of pneumonia, double the risk of infection from C. difficile and a small risk of osteoporosis, earlier studies have shown.
And another article posted: Heartburn Drugs might be linked to Dementia, study claims - Healthier options
The solution? Lifestyle changes and using PPIs only when really needed, for the shortest time possible:
The authors of this research suggest that PPIs are overprescribed. Previous research, including a 2008 study and others have shown the same. The authors of the new study conclude if a person has a prescription for a PPI, it should be used sparingly and only taken for a short period of time.
After all, these companies' response in the news is that these drugs are safe when used as per the label. The label directions is for short terms use. For example, Prilosec OTC's directions for taking the drug is:
(via Prilosec OTC Official website, "Warnings and Directions")
- This product is to be used once a day (every 24 hours), every day for 14 days
14 days, not without limit as prescribed by many doctors.
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