Acid Reflux Drugs Linked to Bone Fractures

New analysis on acid reflux drugs suggests that patients using proton pump inhibitors may be more likely to fracture bones than those not using the drugs. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration revised the labels on proton pump inhibitors, or P.P.I.’s, to warn that they may increase the risk of fractures.

The analysis, published in the May-June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine, examined 11 studies and determined that those taking P.P.I.’s were 29 percent more likely to get fractures. Additionally, researchers found that long-terms users were 30 percent more likely to get fractures, and those taking high doses were 53 percent more likely to get hip fractures in particular.

The analysis did not find a similar increase in fracture risk among patients taking older acid reflux medications, called histamine-2 receptor antagonists.

Dr. Seung-Kwon Myung, one of the study authors, told the New York Times that long-term or frequent use of P.P.I.’s should be avoided. The analysis also determined that P.P.I. treatment may harm the intestine’s ability to absorb calcium.

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