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Alzheimer’s linked with PPI use.

(43 Posts)
Esspee Tue 10-May-22 15:57:58

I have just read a paper which concluded that the development of Alzheimer’s disease in people older than 60 years was more likely with PPI use.

This is especially worrying as Proton Pump Inhibitors are so widely prescribed to reduce stomach acid production.

Medications such as Omeprazole, Lansoprazole, Esomeprazole, Rabeprazole, Pantoprazole, Dexansoprazole, some of which can be bought over the counter without prescription, are widely used to treat acid reflux and ulcers and may be being used outwith medical supervision.

If you are taking any PPI without medical supervision please let your doctor know and discuss the potential side effects with them.

Jaxjacky Tue 10-May-22 16:02:32

Was it the one in Nature Esspee?

BlueSky Tue 10-May-22 17:33:34

I no longer take much notice after having worried myself sick about other medication being associated with the development of various conditions.

MayBee70 Tue 10-May-22 17:37:21

When they were first developed ( in Sweden I believe) they were never meant to be used long term.

Elizabeth27 Tue 10-May-22 17:55:35

I take an antihistamine every day but remember a few years ago reading that the development of Alzheimer’s was connected with long-term use. It seems to depend on which report you read.

Pepper59 Tue 10-May-22 18:08:53

It's the only thing that helps with my acid reflux/ GORD. If I'd to spend all my time worrying about the side effects of all my varying medicines, I'd never take anything.

MissAdventure Tue 10-May-22 18:14:23

I take it too.
Otherwise I wake up vomiting up stomach acid.

Esspee Tue 10-May-22 18:49:03

Jaxjacky

Was it the one in Nature Esspee?

New PPI Data Again Link Medication Use To Alzheimer's - Medscape - Apr 01, 2022.
Abdullah Hashmi.

Jaxjacky Tue 10-May-22 19:03:17

Thanks Esspee thé Nature one said no great increase.
I can’t take a PPI for my hernia/reflux as it lowers my sodium, which I’m pre disposed towards. I’m not going to check the long term possibilities for the histamine H I take instead.

M0nica Tue 10-May-22 19:50:55

Exactly what are the precise figures behind this current scare? To often these figures reach us through journalists and sub-editors who are looking for a shock horror story rather than a correct interpretation of the figures

If 30% of people in the relevant age group will develop dementia and the figure is 10% higher among those on these drugs. You are not talking about the the figure going from 30% to 40%, we are talking about 30% going up by 10% of 30%, that is from 30% to 33%.

This is why I like to see the figures.So has anyone seen the exact figures either in a press report or read the article so that we know what we are discussing.

Jaxjacky Tue 10-May-22 20:06:52

Was going to link the article MOnica but you have to register and tbh can’t be bothered.

M0nica Tue 10-May-22 20:10:58

Did the press report that was issued have the basic stats in?

growstuff Tue 10-May-22 20:18:33

M0nica

Did the press report that was issued have the basic stats in?

www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-78199-0

growstuff Tue 10-May-22 20:20:48

PPIs are also associated with Vitamin B12 deficiency. The blood levels might be OK, but PPIs reduce absorption of B12.

Urmstongran Tue 10-May-22 20:38:37

Esspee with respect, once again you seem concerned by adverse medication stats.

M0nica Tue 10-May-22 20:41:52

Thank you growstuff Your reference was to the text of the article rather than the press release, which was a bit over my head.

However I scanned through it and I quote the first pararaph of the closing discussion of this report

We evaluated the risk of PPI use and the incidence of AD and other types of dementia in a community-based retrospective cohort. We considered at least a five-year lag window between the start of PPI usage and the incidence of any type of dementia. Our data analysis demonstrated no association between the use of PPIs and incidence of AD and a discretely increased risk of non-AD dementias after adjusting for comorbidities.

Alzheimers accounts for up to 70%of all dementias
I cannot say that I would be worrying myself unduly about the results of this research. Nothing for anyone to lose any sleep over

Marydoll Tue 10-May-22 20:43:01

Pepper59

It's the only thing that helps with my acid reflux/ GORD. If I'd to spend all my time worrying about the side effects of all my varying medicines, I'd never take anything.

Me too. My life would be miserable without it. Coughing, vomiting, no thanks!

If I worried about all the side effects of my meds (all 20 of them) and stopped taking them, I wouldn't be here to write this post.

Espee, thanks for highlighting this, but I have no other choice.

Pepper59 Tue 10-May-22 20:46:57

Marydoll, it's horrible isn't it.

MissAdventure Tue 10-May-22 20:47:47

Coughing up acid can lead to Barretts eosophagus, which increases a persons risk of eosophagal cancer.

growstuff Tue 10-May-22 21:07:25

I've only taken PPIs post heart attack, when I had to take other medication which could have caused stomach problems. Apart from that, I've never had to take them. However, if I did, I wouldn't bother too much. I've heard from other people how horrible acid reflux etc is. There are loads of factors which have some link to dementia and I doubt if we can avoid them all.

GreyKnitter Tue 10-May-22 21:13:40

When I spoke to my consultant about this a few weeks ago he was quite cynical about it and assured me that in my situation it was better to keep taking the PPI medication rather than suffer when the incidence of Alzheimer’s was very low. I’ve taken his advice.

Esspee Tue 10-May-22 23:22:14

The paper referred to in my post is not the study in Nature where the age group included was 45 years and over referred to by growstuff and M0nica.
It is the paper by Abdulla Hashmi in Medscape where the age group included was 60 years and over.

The conclusions were:-

“The odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease were significantly higher in current (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; P< .001) and past (OR, 1.11; P< .001) in the control group.
Participants with PPI prescriptions for fewer than thirty days or more than 90 days all had higher odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those in the control group. An increased association between the cumulative duration of PPI exposure and the development of Alzheimer’s disease was also observed. The odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease were higher for users with more than 30 days exposure than for users with less than 30 days exposure.”

I know people who self medicate with PPIs and felt it would be helpful to other gransnetters if I aired this research so that anyone on here who felt it was the equivalent of antacids might now consider discussing it with their doctor.

Marydoll Tue 10-May-22 23:27:15

Good advice Espee for those who self medicate.

Teacheranne Tue 10-May-22 23:27:57

My mum took no medication at all, she was fit, healthy and led a very active life - yet she developed Alzheimer’s and died from it just five days ago. I honestly don’t think anyone knows why some people develop Alzheimer’s or dementia when others don’t and such articles can be very upsetting to families involved.

MissAdventure Tue 10-May-22 23:31:23

Marydoll

Good advice Espee for those who self medicate.

I havent got any room left for self meds.
I'm too full up with prescribed ones, like you.