A possible link between a widely prescribed drug that suppresses stomach acid and an increased risk of heart attack has emerged in US research published this week.
In a data-mining exercise of the electronic records of 2.9 million patients, researchers from Stanford University found people who take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are 16 to 21 per cent more likely to suffer a heart attack.
The study was not designed to establish whether or not the drugs were causing more heart attacks, something the authors acknowledge only a large, randomised, prospective study could establish.
Heartburn
Published in the open-access medical journal PLOS One, the patients studied were taking the medication for acid reflux or heartburn. PPIs are also used in the treatment of peptic ulcers and are often prescribed alongside aspirin and similar drugs to protect the lining of the stomach and reduce the risk of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
Prescriptions
Some 3.4 million prescriptions for PPIs were issued to medical-card patients in the Republic in 2013. Sold as generic pantoprazole and also prescribed under trade names such as Nexium, Losec and Zoton, some PPI brands are also available over the counter.
The researchers theorised that PPIs may cause lower levels of nitric oxide, which has been associated with cardiac problems.
People taking PPIs prescribed by their doctor should not stop taking their medication, as doing so may precipitate bleeding. Anyone self-medicating with over-the-counter PPIs for more than two weeks should arrange a consultation with their GP.
