New analysis revealed within the journal Neurology has discovered that individuals taking proton pump inhibitors (a sort of acid reflux disease medicine) for greater than 4.4 years could have a 33% larger threat of creating dementia in contrast to non-users.
Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors, a sort of acid reflux medicine, could also be linked to an elevated threat of dementia, suggests a examine just lately revealed in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Importantly, this analysis doesn’t set up that these medication immediately trigger dementia however solely signifies a correlation.
Acid reflux happens when abdomen acid flows into the esophagus, sometimes following a meal or when mendacity down. This situation can lead to signs like heartburn and ulcers. If acid reflux disease is frequent, it could progress to gastroesophageal reflux illness (GERD), which has the potential to lead to esophageal most cancers.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a category of drugs that cut back abdomen acid manufacturing. Commonly prescribed for situations like gastroesophageal reflux illness (GERD) and peptic ulcer illness, they work by inhibiting the proton pumps within the abdomen lining.
Proton pump inhibitors cut back abdomen acid by concentrating on the enzymes within the abdomen lining that produce that acid.
“Proton pump inhibitors are a useful tool to help control acid reflux, however, long-term use has been linked in previous studies to a higher risk of stroke, bone fractures and chronic kidney disease,” mentioned examine writer Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, MBBS, PhD, of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Minneapolis, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Still, some people take these drugs regularly, so we examined if they are linked to a higher risk of dementia. While we did not find a link with short-term use, we did find a higher risk of dementia associated with long-term use of these drugs.”
The examine included 5,712 individuals, aged 45 and older, who didn’t have dementia on the start of the examine. They had a median age of 75.
Researchers decided if members took acid reflux disease medication by reviewing their drugs throughout examine visits and through yearly cellphone calls. Of the members, 1,490 individuals, or 26%, had taken the medication. Participants have been then divided into 4 teams based mostly on whether or not they had taken the medication and for a way lengthy, as follows: individuals who didn’t take the medication; those that took the medication for up to 2.8 years; those that took them for 2.8 to 4.4 years; and individuals who took them for greater than 4.4 years.
Participants have been then adopted for a median length of 5.5 years. During this time, 585 individuals, or 10%, developed dementia.
Of the 4,222 individuals who didn’t take the medication, 415 individuals developed dementia, or 19 circumstances per 1,000 person-years. Person-years signify each the quantity of individuals within the examine and the quantity of time every person spends within the examine. Of the 497 individuals who took the medication for greater than 4.4 years, 58 individuals developed dementia, or 24 circumstances per 1,000 person-years.
After adjusting for components resembling age, intercourse, and race, in addition to health-related components resembling high blood pressure and diabetes, researchers discovered individuals who had been taking acid reflux disease medication for greater than 4.4 years had a 33% larger threat of creating dementia than individuals who by no means took the medication.
Researchers didn’t discover a larger threat of dementia for individuals who took the medication for fewer than 4.4 years.
“More research is needed to confirm our findings and explore reasons for the possible link between long-term proton pump inhibitor use and a higher risk of dementia,” mentioned Lakshminarayan. “While there are various ways to treat acid reflux, such as taking antacids, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding late meals and certain foods, different approaches may not work for everyone. It is important that people taking these medications speak with their doctor before making any changes, to discuss the best treatment for them, and because stopping these drugs abruptly may result in worse symptoms.”
Reference: “Cumulative Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk of Dementia: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study” by Carin Northuis, Elizabeth Bell, Pamela Lutsey, Kristen M George, Rebecca F. Gottesman, Tom H. Mosley, Eric A Whitsel and Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, 9 August 2023, Neurology.
DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207747
A limitation of the examine was that members have been asked yearly about medicine use, so researchers estimated use between annual check-ins. If members stopped and restarted acid reflux disease medication in between check-ins, estimation of their use could have been inaccurate. The authors have been additionally unable to assess if members took over-the-counter acid reflux disease medication.
The examine was supported by the National Institutes of Health, together with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
