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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 People taking less than one pill a day had a 12 percent increased risk of fracture, while people taking the average dose of one pill a day had a 30 percent increased risk, Corley noted. For those taking more than one pill a day, the increased risk was 41 percent.
People aged 50 to 59 who had been taking these medications for two years or more had the greatest risk, but most of the fractures were seen in people between 80 and 89, Corley said.
Although the reason for the association isn't known, a small study did find that proton pump inhibitors reduced the body's ability to absorb calcium, necessary for bone strength, by 60 percent, he added.
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Corley noted that when people stopped taking these drugs, their risk for fractures dropped.
Dr. Elton Strauss, chief of Orthopaedic Trauma and Adult Reconstruction at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, said this association has been noted before, but it boils down to a question of a small risk versus a benefit for patients who need these medications.
Just last August, a Canadian study found that long-term use of proton pump inhibitors quadrupled the risk of a hip fractures.
"This has been discussed previously," Strauss said. "This is a small sample of the population, one that has so many risk factors for falls and fractures."
Strauss stated: "The key to this article is awareness for both the physician prescribing the meds and the patient taking them. It is the classic problem in medicine of risks versus benefits."
More information
For more information on gastroesophageal reflux disease, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
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