According to research that was recently published in the journal, Neurology, the prolonged use of medications known as proton pump inhibitors is connected with an increased risk of dementia.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are typically over the counter drugs and are used to treat heartburn. They are widely used, but they can also be used at a prescription level for those diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Prevacid, Prilosec, and Nexium are popular name brand examples of PPIs. They are easily accessible over the counter and rank as some of the highest selling medications in the United States. However, there is new evidence that the long term impact of this type of medication could have negative effects when it comes to the development of dementia. A sample of 5,700 older adults that had taken PPI medication for greater than 4.5 years was 33 percent more likely to develop some type of dementia than a similar sample that did not take PPI medications during that same period of time.
There are a couple things about this study that need to be addressed before we get too far into this. First, the people in this study that were taking PPIs were not taking the over the counter versions of this medication. They were taking prescription versions of the meds. Additionally, the research team pointed out that they have not identified a causal relationship between PPI medication and dementia. It is a correlation only.
This isn’t the only time that PPIs have been linked to other illnesses. In the past, long term use of PPIs have been connected to heart attack, kidney disease, and even premature death. However, the link between PPIs and dementia wasn’t noticed until 2016. This current research confirms past research and builds upon it.
The findings are not concrete. Just because there have been a handful of studies that have linked these two things does not mean that they are definitely linked. It’s also important to say that there have been other studies in the past couple years that have not found this correlation.
Obviously, there’s a lot more research that needs to be done here. And if there is a real and serious relationship between the meds and dementia, understanding this and taking steps to prevent it will be necessary for the wellbeing of people far into the future.
When a loved one has dementia, the right care team is important. Family members can provide care on their own, but over time, this can get more and more difficult. Working with professionals can make it a little bit easier. Our care team is designed to help make life easier for your entire family by bringing the help to your home. It ensures that the tough transitions between home and a care facility don’t have to happen unless they are absolutely necessary.
If you’d like to talk more about senior care and how it can help, please feel free to give us a call. One of our care professionals would be happy to talk with you during a free consultation session. Get in touch with us to talk more.
Leave a Reply