Proton pump inhibitors are a form of antacid drug commonly taken by adults for a range of health conditions. However, a new study suggests people may need to be cautious of their use, finding that adults using the drug are 16-21% more likely to have a heart attack than people not using the antacid.
A different type of antacid drug known as an H2 blocker was not associated with an increase in heart attack risk, however.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are frequently prescribed to treat a variety of conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Helicobacter pylori infection. Names for these drugs - lansoprazole and omeprazole, for example - always feature the suffix "-prazole."