PPI Prescriptions Exceeding Recommendations
UNITED STATES – A study recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that many older Americans’ prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors are exceeding their recommended duration. In other words, people are taking these medications for too long and past the point of therapeutic benefit. Proton pump … [Read more...]
New Proton Pump Inhibitor Drug Warnings
Drugs used to fight heartburn are proton pump inhibitors. Proton pump inhibitors stop or reduce the production of stomach acid that creeps back up the esophagus and causes heartburn and other gastroesophageal problems such as acid reflux disease, heartburn, GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), Dyspepsia, Garrett’s disease which is … [Read more...]
Proton Pump Inhibitors Raise Infection Risk in Cirrhosis Patients
Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) such as Prilosec, Aciphex, Prevacid, and Protonix, raise infection risks in cirrhosis patients, according to a new study that found the risk for serious infections affects patients with decompensated cirrhosis. PPI users suffer from a 66 percent increased risk, in fact, of serious infections, said … [Read more...]
Meta-Analysis Finds Proton Pump Inhibitors Increase Risk of C. Difficile-Associated Diarrhea by 69%
A newly-published study has again shown that the use of popular heartburn drugs known as proton pump inhibitors can increase the likelihood that a person will develop Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea. The authors of the study, which appears in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, assert that the use of proton pump … [Read more...]
Study Finds “Robust” Risk of C. difficile with Proton Pump Inhibitors, other Heartburn Drugs
A new study has found that taking acid reducing drugs, including proton pump inhibitors, can significantly increase the risk for Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection. The lead author of the study, which involved a meta-analysis of 30 separate studies, characterized the association between C. difficile and proton pump … [Read more...]
PPI Side Effect Warnings for Fractures, Hypomagnesaemia Issued in U.K.
U.K. regulators issued two warnings this week regarding serious Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) side effects. According to the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), recent studies indicated a link between long-term use of PPIs and fractures of the hip, wrist and spine. The agency also warned that prolonged use of PPIs … [Read more...]
Proton Pump Inhibitors May Reduce Benefits of Fosamax, other Bone Drugs
Popular heartburn drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) could interfere with the effectiveness of Fosamax and other osteoporosis drugs known as bisphosphonates. According to an observational study published in the "Archives of Internal Medicine," PPIs and bisphosphonates are often used concurrently in elderly patients, a group … [Read more...]
Could Popular Heartburn Drugs Cause Pneumonia?
A recent study suggests that caution should be exercised when prescribing acid-suppressive drugs for patients at risk for pneumonia, said Clinical Advisor. Use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI), such as Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid, or histamine2 (H2) receptor antagonists, such as Axid, Pepcid, Tagamet, and Zantac, could increase … [Read more...]