A class of drugs including a number of popular PPI meds, used to treat acid reflux and heartburn, may more than double the risk of a patient developing PPI cancer of the stomach.

Proton pump inhibitors, or PPI meds, are a kind of heartburn medication, used to suppress the production of acid in the stomach. PPI meds are among the most widely used drugs worldwide, and include the popular options Prilosec and Nexium. PPI meds also include Prevacid, Protonix, and Zegerid, among others.

These are some of the most commonly prescribed drugs, and are used to treat acid reflux, ulcers, and heartburn. Around 15 million Americans have been prescribed PPI meds like these; however, since there are over-the-counter PPI meds available, the actual number may be much higher.

Unfortunately, these drugs are not without risks of serious side effects that patients may not have been adequately warned about. Indeed, recent studies have reported a possible link between use of these drugs and PPI cancer.

One study, published in October 2017, found that patients taking PPI meds like Nexium and Prilosec face an increased risk of stomach cancer. The longer patients were exposed to these drugs, the higher the risk.

PPI and Stomach Cancer

Stomach cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death, as well as the fifth most common cancer.

According to a recent study, the long-term use of these drugs may increase the risk of stomach PPI cancer by nearly 250 percent. PPI and stomach cancer risk is associated with a bacterium known as Helicobacter pylori. This is actually quite a common bacterium; in fact, more than half of the global population carries it harmlessly throughout their lives. However, for some individuals, this bacterium can prompt the development of stomach cancer.

The study found that PPI meds may more than double a patient’s risk of PPI cancer of the stomach.

While the study does not definitively link PPI and stomach cancer, this correlation is something to consider, and it may indeed develop into a stronger connection over time.

PPI meds are not just potential stomach cancer causes, but have also been linked with a serious risk of kidney problems. One study found that PPI use led to a 96 percent increased risk of kidney failure, and another showed a 28 percent increased risk of chronic kidney disease.

Filing a PPI Cancer Lawsuit

More and more patients taking PPI meds are coming forward with reports of serious side effects. Some are even turning to litigation, alleging that their complications were caused by inadequate warning about the risks associated with these drugs.

If you or someone you love has taken Nexium, Prilosec, or other PPI meds and have since suffered from stomach cancer or kidney problems, you may be able to file a lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of those who have experienced stomach cancer, kidney problems, or other side effects of PPI meds, it can help to compensate for the financial expenses generally incurred through medical bills.