Long-term use of certain medications to treat heartburn and acid-related disorders is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia, new research shows.
The research, published in the journal Neurology, examined data from more than 5,700 participants who initially did not have dementia and found that those who took proton pump inhibitors for about 4½ years or more had a 33 percent higher risk of developing dementia than those who did not take the medications.
The study did not say these medications cause dementia — only that there was an association between using the drugs and a higher risk of developing dementia.
The researchers did not find a higher risk of dementia linked to shorter-term use.
“Patients taking these medications should talk to their doctor before making any changes to discuss the best treatment for them,” Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, senior author of the study and a professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, wrote in an email. “Stopping these drugs abruptly may result in worse symptoms.”
Proton pump inhibitors or PPIs, including Prevacid, Prilosec and Nexium, are used to help manage symptoms of acid reflux and a more serious form called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, in which the stomach contents move back up into the esophagus. The conditions can cause, among other symptoms, heartburn, nausea and regurgitation, which can lead to more serious complications such as trouble swallowing or bleeding in the digestive tract.
People with GERD are also at a slightly increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.
Source: Washingtonpost