Fw: may be relevant, is to me

[Guest guest]

may be relevant, is to me

Heartburn/GERD Health Center

Tools & Resources

a.. Steps to Change Heartburn Habits

b.. How to Stop Nighttime Heartburn

c.. 10 Foods That Cause Heartburn

d.. What Is GERD?

e.. Heartburn or Heart Attack?

f.. Digestive Tip: Gum for Heartburn

This article is from the WebMD News Archive

Font size:

AAA

Share this:

FDA Warns of Fracture Risk From Acid Reflux Drugs

PPI Antacids Linked to Hip, Wrist, and Spine Fracture

By J. DeNoon

WebMD Health News

Reviewed by J. , MD

May 25, 2010 -- Popular PPI antacids -- Aciphex, Dexilant, Nexium, Prevacid,

Prilosec, Protonix, Vimovo, and Zegerid -- raise the risk of bone fracture,

especially when used for a year or more or at high doses, the FDA warns.

The warning comes after U.S. and Canadian researchers linked the use of PPIs

(proton pump inhibitors) to fracture risk in middle-aged adults. Another U.S.

study suggests that the drugs may also increase risk of infection with C.

difficile, a bacterium that can cause severe diarrhea.

" There is a possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine if

you take certain drugs for heartburn, acid reflux, or ulcers, " the FDA today

warned consumers.

The action follows FDA review of six studies that link PPIs to fractures,

although the studies do not definitively prove that PPIs are the cause of the

fractures seen in the studies.

Most of the increased fracture risk is seen in people over age 50.

The federal agency will now require the warning to be added to the package

labels of both the prescription and nonprescription versions of the drugs.

The drugs all are proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the most powerful class of

antacid drugs. It's the third highest-selling class of drugs in the U.S. Each

year, doctors write 113.4 million prescriptions for the drugs. Three --

Prevacid, Prilosec, and Zegerid -- are available without prescription.

The drugs do a great job of reducing stomach acid. They're not only far more

powerful than simple antacids (such as Maalox, Rolaids, and Tums) but also

reduce stomach acid more than the H2RA drugs Axid, Pepcid, Tagamet, and Zantac.

These powerful drugs are supposed to be used only for serious conditions, but

often are taken for simple heartburn. There's no doubt they're effective, but

the benefit for minor conditions may not be worth the risk.

The FDA offers the following advice to patients:

a.. If your doctor recommended that you take a PPI, don't stop taking the

medication until you discuss it with him or her.

b.. The greatest risk from PPIs is among people who take high doses or remain

on the drugs for a year or more.

c.. Over-the-counter PPIs should be taken for only 14 days for treatment of

frequent heartburn. No more than three 14-day courses should be taken in a

single year.

d.. Discuss any concerns you may have about taking PPIs with your doctor.

e.. Report any possible PPI side effects to the FDA either online or by phone

at .

Further Reading:

a.. Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and GERD Resources

b.. Diagnosing Acid Reflux Disease

c.. Esophageal pH Test for Heartburn or Acid Reflux

d.. The Basics of Heartburn and Acid Reflux

e.. When to Call the Doctor About Heartburn or Reflux

f.. Medication, Surgery Both Treat Acid Reflux Well

g.. Acid Reflux Drugs May Up Fractures

h.. See All Acid Reflux Topics

Top Picks

a.. How to Eat to Avoid Heartburn

b.. Heartburn Bothering You at Night?

c.. The Truth About Heartburn

d.. Acid Reflux? What You Can Eat

e.. GERD and Sleep Apnea: What's the Link?

f.. Heartburn or Heart Attack?

View Article Sources

SOURCES:

News release, FDA.

FDA web site.

© 2010 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

--

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the

heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My

Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My

judgments and do them. " (Ezekiel 36:26-27) Choose. Alt+C