Long-term use of heartburn medicines used to tackle acid reflux could be linked to an increased risk of dementia, according to a new study.
Acid reflux is a condition that occurs when stomach acid flows into the oesophagus either following a meal or when lying down and can lead to symptoms like heartburn and ulcers.
If the condition frequently affects a person, they may also develop gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which could lead to cancer in the food pipe.
A class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors are generally prescribed to reduce stomach acid by targeting enzymes in the stomach lining that produces that acid.
While these drugs have been shown to be a “useful tool” to help control acid reflux, their long-term use is linked in previous research to a higher risk of stroke, bone fractures and even chronic kidney disease.
The new study, recently published in the journal Neurology, assessed whether regularly taking these drugs is linked to a higher risk of dementia.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in the US assessed over 5,712 people, aged 45 and older, who did not have dementia at the start of the study.
They assessed if participants took acid reflux drugs by reviewing their medications during study visits as well as during yearly phone calls.
“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,” study author Kamakshi Lakshminarayan said in a statement.
The analysis found that of the over 5,700 participants, 1,490 people, or 26 per cent, had taken the drugs.
Based on whether the participants had taken the drugs and for how long, researchers then divided them into four groups – people who did not take the drugs, those who took the drugs for up to 2.8 years, those who took them for 2.8-4.4 years and those who took them for more than 4.4 years.
Scientists then followed the participants for an average period of about 5.5 years, during which 585 people, or about 10 per cent of them, developed dementia.
About 415 of the 4,222 people who did not take the drugs developed dementia, compared to 58 people among the 497 people who took the drugs for more than 4.4 years.
Adjusting for other factors like age, sex and race, and health parameters like high blood pressure and diabetes, researchers found that people who had been taking acid reflux drugs for more than 4.4 years had a 33 per cent higher risk of developing dementia than those who never took the drugs.
However, scientists did not find a higher risk of dementia among people who took the drugs for fewer than 4.4 years.
Importantly, they said the findings do not establish that these drugs directly cause dementia, but only that there is a correlation.
“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,” Dr Lakshminarayan said.
“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,” she said.
