prescribed for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), where stomach acid chronically escapes into the esophagus (the tube connecting the mouth and stomach).
Many people with GERD can take a PPI for just a short time, Al-Aly said. That allows damaged tissue in the esophagus to heal. Then patients can switch to a different treatment, like an H2 blocker. Those medications include drugs such as Tagamet (cimetidine), Pepcid (famotidine) and Zantac (ranitidine).
“Most people don’t need to be on a PPI for months or years,” Al-Aly said.
In this study, the risks linked to PPIs rose with prolonged use. The odds of death over 10 years were 63% to 71% higher among patients who’d used the drugs for at least a year, versus those who’d used them for a few months.
However, some GERD patients do need long-term PPI treatment, Al-Aly and Kim said. That includes people with recurrent stomach ulcers or Barrett’s esophagus, serious damage to the esophageal lining that can raise the risk of cancer.
Before you start a PPI, Al-Aly said, be sure you actually need one. The drugs are