Scientists from Aarhus University have found that heartburn medications that reduce the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach are associated with an increased risk of dementia with long-term use. The study was published on: magazine Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Proton pump inhibitors are medications used to reduce stomach acid. Scientists analyzed data from nearly two million patients between the ages of 60 and 75. Between 2000 and 2018, 99,000 people developed dementia. Data obtained from 469 thousand people were used as the control group.
PPI use has been associated with an increased risk of all-cause dementia, especially in people ages 60 to 69 at diagnosis. In the group using PPIs between the ages of 60-69, 1.25-1.59 times more cases of dementia were seen (depending on the duration of use) compared to the group not taking PPIs. A smaller increase in risk was observed in groups aged 70 to 79 years, and the risk of dementia in people over 89 years of age was not associated with PPI use.
The results mean that PPI use is associated with an increased risk of dementia, especially in younger people. This does not mean that PPI use causes dementia; because there is a possibility of reverse causality with increased stomach acid production in the early stages of dementia. Additional research may prove the effect of PPIs on dementia and understand the mechanisms behind this.
Previous scientists in the name Diet to reduce the risk of dementia in women.