Heart Burn Medications May Cause Heart Attacks

Heartburn drugs, many of which are sold over-the-counter, may put someone at greater risk of having a heart attack, according to recent Stanford University research., The study found that people who use these kinds of medications are about 20 percent more apt to have heart attacks. But a New York cardiologist says this study alone should not be a game-changer for people or physicians.

Proton pump inhibitors are a type of medication that can help to reduce someone’s stomach acid.

“It is concerning news, pointing to a possible bad outcome correlating with a widely used drug type, Proton Pump Inhibitors,” said Burak Arkonac, MD, director of interventional cardiology at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore. “However, the methods of this research project are non-specific, without any power to pinpoint any real cause and effect. It may just be a marker of patients with multiple serious medical problems. Thus, this news is not a practice changer.”

If you have concerns about the heartburn medication you’re taking, speak to your physician.

For more information about heartburn you can visit the following sites: Heartburn information and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease