Seniors taking antacids may be at higher risk of hip fracture: research

NEW YORK: People over the age of 50 who use anti-heartburn drugs for chronic acidity may be at a greater risk of hip fracture, a new study has suggested.
 

Prolonged use of antacids such as Prevacid, Nexium, Aciphex and Protonix could make one's bones brittle over time, raising the risk of a hip fracture which can cause severe complications in the elderly.

Researchers working for the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, found patients who used the 'over-the-counter' drug for more than a year had a 44 percent greater risk of suffering a broken hip compared to those who did not use such drugs.

The group studied the medical records of nearly 150,000 Britons, 50yrs or older. Anti-heartburn, medically known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), may not only be stopping the stomach's acid production but also reducing the body's ability to absorb calcium, the researchers speculate.
 

Doctors are usually not consulted for acidity unless the problem is severe or chronic where the patient has to use the drug in higher doses or for longer periods. When consulted, GPs normally prescribe a proven drug for a course of not more than 2 months.

The researchers also observed a 2 ˝ times greater risk of hip fractures in patients who took high doses of the drug for more than a year.

Lead researcher Dr Yu-Xiao Yang said people wrongly assume “that the drugs are completely safe, and doctors dispense them without thinking too much about the risks and the benefits”. His said his findings suggest that doctors should take care to prescribe the drug only where it is most needed and if possible recommend smaller doses.

The report published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association also urges for research to continue in this direction, to be able to better understand the underlying process.

Many elderly people suffer from thinning of bone density with advancing age. In such people, a hip fracture can be difficult to heal or, worse, may prove to be fatal. Previous research data said 20 percent of hip fracture patients die within a