Using a technique known as "data diving," researchers at Stanford University looked through 3 million medical records and found that patients who take heartburn-reducing proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), like Prilosec or Nexium, have a higher instance of heart attacks. Nigham Shah, an assistant professor who worked on the study, points out that for those not at risk of a heart attack, the increased risk is amazingly low — from a 1 in a million chance to 1.2 in a million. But for those at a higher risk, Shah recommends discussing PPI use with a doctor.
Other researchers are not as convinced by the study. Dr. David Juurlink, a researcher at the University of Toronto, points out that the finding could be corollary — behavior that could make you reach for heartburn medicine, like bad diet, smoking, and drinking, could also put you at higher risk for a heart attack. The study did not find a correlation between heart attacks and another group of heartburn drugs called H2 blockers, which includes Pepcid and Zantac.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain PrizeSpeed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 winsspeed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughterspeed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopicsSpeed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
