FDA warns on prolonged use of antacid drugs

By Caribbean Medical News Staff

It starts with a slight burn and can become an excruciating burn and even pain mimicking heart attack. Acid reflux, indigestion and a range of other stomach disorders are treated with antacids but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still cautioning patients on the ongoing use of antacids particularly proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs).

According to the FDA report, high doses or prolonged usage of PPIs have been shown to increase the risk of dementia, infection and bone fractures.

In the United States alone, a whopping $5.1 billion dollars is spent on the most popular PPI, Nexium, which is commonly used for the treatment of GERD. Nexium is reported to be very effective but the FDA cautions the use of any PPI on a prolonged basis. According to reports over 100 million prescriptions for PPIs were written for US patients last year alone.

“Like every medication, PPIs occasionally cause side effects, including nausea and headaches. Doctors are aware that PPIs can, in a roundabout way, promote an abundance of gastrin, an important stomach hormone. Too much gastrin could conceivably cause a number of problems, including a rebound effect of extra-heavy stomach acid secretion if people stop taking PPIs. PPIs may interfere with the metabolism of clopidogrel (Plavix). But by and large, PPIs have been viewed as safe medications with few drawbacks,” said the Harvard Medical School’s Family Health Guide.

These complications include PPI induced pneumonia and other associated problems including inhibited nutrient absorption, promotion of  bacterial overgrowth, reduction in resistance to infection and increased risk of cancer and other serious diseases.

The FDA issued its warning stating: “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers and health care professionals about a possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine with high doses or long-term use of a class of medications called proton pump inhibitors. The product labeling will be changed to describe this possible increased risk.

“Proton pump inhibitors, available by prescription and over-the-counter (OTC), work by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach. Prescription proton pump inhibitors include esomeprazole (Nexium), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid), lansoprazole (Prevacid), pantoprazole (Protonix), and rabeprazole (Aciphex). Prescription proton pump inhibitors are used to treat conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach and small intestine ulcers, and inflammation of the esophagus”.

PPIs will continue to be prescribed, however informed patients and doctors must ensure that the drugs are not abused.

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