” Proton pump inhibitors are an useful tool to assist control acid reflux, nevertheless, long-lasting usage has actually been linked in previous research studies to a higher risk of stroke, bone fractures and persistent kidney illness,” said research study author Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, MBBS, PhD, of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Minneapolis, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Still, some people take these drugs frequently, so we examined if they are connected to a greater risk of dementia. While we did not find a relate to short-term use, we did discover a higher threat of dementia associated with long-lasting usage of these drugs.”
The research study included 5,712 individuals, aged 45 and older, who did not have dementia at the start of the research study. They had an average age of 75.
If participants took acid reflux drugs by reviewing their medications throughout study check outs and during yearly phone calls, Researchers figured out. Of the individuals, 1,490 people, or 26%, had actually taken the drugs. Participants were then divided into 4 groups based on whether they had taken the drugs and for how long, as follows: individuals who did not take the drugs; those who took the drugs for up to 2.8 years; those who took them for 2.8 to 4.4 years; and individuals who took them for more than 4.4 years.
Individuals were then followed for a typical duration of 5.5 years. Throughout this time, 585 individuals, or 10%, developed dementia.
Of the 4,222 people who did not take the drugs, 415 individuals developed dementia, or 19 cases per 1,000 person-years. Person-years represent both the number of people in the study and the amount of time each person spends in the study. Of the 497 individuals who took the drugs for more than 4.4 years, 58 individuals established dementia, or 24 cases per 1,000 person-years.
After changing for elements such as age, race, and sex, in addition to health-related elements such as high blood pressure and diabetes, scientists discovered individuals who had been taking heartburn drugs for more than 4.4 years had a 33% greater threat of developing dementia than people who never ever took the drugs.
Researchers did not discover a greater danger of dementia for individuals who took the drugs for fewer than 4.4 years.
” More research study is required to validate our findings and check out factors for the possible link in between long-term proton pump inhibitor use and a greater danger of dementia,” stated Lakshminarayan. “While there are various ways to deal with heartburn, such as taking antacids, maintaining a healthy weight, and preventing certain foods and late meals, different methods might not work for everyone. It is essential that people taking these medications speak to their doctor before making any changes, to go over the very best treatment for them, and due to the fact that stopping these drugs quickly may result in even worse symptoms.”
Recommendation: “Cumulative Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk of Dementia: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study” by Carin Northuis, Elizabeth Bell, Pamela Lutsey, Kristen M George, Rebecca F. Gottesman, Tom H. Mosley, Eric A Whitsel and Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, 9 August 2023, Neurology.DOI: 10.1212/ WNL.0000000000207747.
A limitation of the research study was that participants were asked when a year about medication usage, so scientists estimated use in between annual check-ins. Estimate of their use may have been unreliable if individuals restarted and stopped acid reflux drugs in between check-ins. If participants took over the counter acid reflux drugs, the authors were likewise not able to examine.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, consisting of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
New research published in the journal Neurology has actually found that people taking proton pump inhibitors (a type of acid reflux medication) for more than 4.4 years may have a 33% higher danger of establishing dementia compared to non-users.
Long-term usage of proton pump inhibitors, a kind of heartburn medication, might be connected to an increased risk of dementia, recommends a research study recently released in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Notably, this research study doesnt establish that these drugs straight trigger dementia but only suggests a connection.
Acid reflux happens when stomach acid streams into the esophagus, typically following a meal or when resting. This condition can cause symptoms like heartburn and ulcers. If acid reflux is frequent, it may advance to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which has the possible to result in esophageal cancer.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a class of medications that lower stomach acid production. Typically prescribed for conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and peptic ulcer illness, they work by hindering the proton pumps in the stomach lining.
Proton pump inhibitors lower stomach acid by targeting the enzymes in the stomach lining that produce that acid.
Researchers determined if individuals took acid reflux drugs by reviewing their medications throughout study visits and throughout annual phone calls. Participants were then divided into four groups based on whether they had taken the drugs and for how long, as follows: people who did not take the drugs; those who took the drugs for up to 2.8 years; those who took them for 2.8 to 4.4 years; and individuals who took them for more than 4.4 years.
Of the 4,222 people who did not take the drugs, 415 people established dementia, or 19 cases per 1,000 person-years. Of the 497 people who took the drugs for more than 4.4 years, 58 individuals developed dementia, or 24 cases per 1,000 person-years.
The authors were likewise unable to assess if participants took non-prescription acid reflux drugs.