(STUDY FINDS) — ST. LOUIS — Millions of people make a habit of taking heartburn medication to help with digestion, but a recent study suggests that taking certain types of heartburn and acid reflux medications for prolonged periods of time may not be a good idea.
Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a possible link between long-term use of certain kinds of heartburn and acid reflux medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and fatal cases of cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and upper gastrointestinal cancer.
The researchers discovered that these risks increase the longer a person takes PPIs, even at low doses. Over 15 million Americans are currently prescribed PPIs, and many more purchase PPIs over-the-counter.
