Long-term use of a could hike risk by a whopping 33 percent, startling new research suggests. The study, which delves into the effects of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), found that individuals on these drugs for over four and a half years might be signing up for more than just heartburn relief. Acid reflux, the pesky condition where stomach acid decides to take a detour into your esophagus, can lead to not just an unpleasant burning sensation but also ulcers.
might end up with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD), which ups the ante to esophageal cancer risks. GORD is no stranger to the US, plaguing up to 40% of folks with its fiery embrace. PPIs swoop in as the heroes, dialing down stomach acid production by putting a wrench in the stomach lining's enzyme works.
However, this isn't the first time PPIs have been the subject of side-eye glances; previous studies have linked them to increased chances of strokes, bone breaks, and kidney woes. Now, according to findings published in Neurology, there's a potential tie to dementia, though researchers are quick to clarify it's a correlation, not causation. Professor Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, the study's lead author, weighed in: "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.
Still, some people take these drugs regularly, so we examined if they are linked to a higher risk of dementia.