Saturday, November 19, 2016

Popular heartburn medication may increase ischemic stroke risk

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-11/aha-phm110316.php

Public Release: 15-Nov-2016
Popular heartburn medication may increase ischemic stroke risk
American Heart Association Meeting Report -- Presentation: 391 -- Session: EP.AOS.765
American Heart Association

A popular group of antacids known as proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, used to reduce stomach acid and treat heartburn may increase the risk of ischemic stroke, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2016.

"PPIs have been associated with unhealthy vascular function, including heart attacks, kidney disease and dementia," said Thomas Sehested, M.D., study lead author and a researcher at the Danish Heart Foundation in Copenhagen, Denmark. "We wanted to see if PPIs also posed a risk for ischemic stroke, especially given their increasing use in the general population."

Ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, is caused by clots blocking blood flow to or in the brain.

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For ischemic stroke, researchers found:

Overall stroke risk increased by 21 percent when patients were taking a PPI.

At the lowest doses of the PPIs, there was slight or no increased stroke risk.

At the highest dose for these 4 PPI's, stroke risk increased from 30 percent for lansoprazole (Prevacid) to 94 percent for pantoprazole (Protonix).

There was no increased risk of stroke associated with another group of acid-reducing medications known as H2 blockers, which include famotidine (Pepcid) and ranitidine (Zantac).

In comparison with non-users, PPI users were older and had more health conditions, including atrial fibrillation at baseline (3.4 vs. 3.8 percent). The study accounted for age, gender and medical factors, including high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat), heart failure and the use of certain pain relievers that have been linked to heart attack and stroke.

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