Heartburn, ulcer drugs linked to higher risk of pneumonia
Study Findings:
- Medication to reduce heartburn-causing gastric acids has been linked to increased risk for pneumonia, a group of Dutch researchers has concluded.
- Heartburn drugs, such as the commonly prescribed Nexium or Prilosec, reduced stomach acid but allowed germs to multiply.
- The risk for pneumonia was twice as high in people using heartburn medication for three years than in people who had stopped the treatment.
- The overall infection risk, however, was relatively small, only one in 500 people undergoing antacid treatment fell ill.
Related Articles:
- Original Research: Risk of Community-Acquired Pneumonia and Use of Gastric Acid–Suppressive Drugs
- Heartburn, ulcer drugs linked to higher risk of pneumonia
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