Heartburn Pills Are Linked To More Infections, And This May Be Why

This study may play a part in reducing this unnecessary use, by providing the mechanism of the slight increase in infections,” Steves said. That’s because to confirm the shift in gut bacteria found in twins taking PPIs, Steves and colleagues also re-analyzed data from a previously published study examining what happens to the guts of healthy people who take the pills. In these individuals, the mix of bacteria changed to resemble that of the twins on PPIs. The changes in the gut seen in these studies also mirror what has been observed in previous research on mice with high levels of streptococcus in their stomachs, which predisposed them to Clostridium difficile infections, the researchers note. More human studies are still needed to investigate this possibility in people, even though the findings suggest a potential mechanism for PPIs to directly cause infections, the researchers conclude. “Despite the correlations with certain disorders in individuals using PPIs found in epidemiological studies, the causative role of PPIs remains unclear,” said Dr. John DiBaise, a researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona who wasn’t involved in the study. “I don’t think the current study provides any clear cut evidence of causation,” DiBaise added by email. Still, the findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that patients should be cautious with PPIs, particularly when they get the drugs without a prescription, said Dr. ...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news