Animal Study Raises Safety Questions About Heartburn Drugs

Forbes today reported popular drugs taken for heartburn, GERD, and acid reflux, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), may pose a danger to your heart, in animal model study.

Excerpt:

Animal Study Raises Safety Questions About Heartburn Drugs

Research by John P. Cooke, clinical professor and chair of the department of cardiovascular sciences at Houston Methodist Hospital, found that stomach acid-suppressing proton pump inhibitors (brand names Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid) may cause blood vessels to constrict, reducing blood flow.

Studying both mouse and human tissue cultures, the researchers found that PPIs led to an approximately 25 percent increase in a chemical messenger called ADMA (asymmetric dimethylarginine), considered a cardiovascular risk factor.

The research is convincing enough that people who regularly take PPIs should discuss the potential risks with their doctors, Cooke says. It’s likely to be a difficult choice: If you have a family history of GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, and esophageal cancer, then PPIs are probably a good idea. But if you have heart disease risk factors or a family history of heart disease, then you might reconsider using PPIs.

Full article available @ Forbes