Professionals in the medical community have recently been concerned with the possibility of kidney failure from PPI (proton pump inhibitor) use. According to a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Buffalo, PPI patients may be at an increased risk of chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury.

According to the study, approximately 190,000 patients over the age of 15 and had taken PPIs were monitored. Researchers reportedly found that patients faced up to a 20 percent increased risk of kidney failure when using PPIs and other similar treatment drugs, compared to patients who did not use the medications.

Researchers reviewed the medical histories of adult patients with no history of pre-existing kidney disease who had started using PPI treatment. These individuals had been enrolled in a Western New York HMO for at least 12 months between July 1993 and September 2008. The health of these patients was compared to patients in a control group, with researchers focusing on the state of their kidneys.

Kidney Failure and PPI Study Findings

According to the results of the PPI study, approximately 148 patients out of 16,593 PPI patients had developed acute kidney injury compared to the 67 patients out of 76,742 control patients. Furthermore, approximately 2,370 patients out of 14,415 PPI patients developed chronic kidney disease compared to 4,501 out of 70,086 patients in the non-user group.

Researchers noted the risk was highest in patients 65 years or older, noting that kidney failure with PPI use has been documented in other studies. One of these studies was published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology when researchers noted that a large number of patients using proton pump inhibitors were developing serious kidney complications.

The JASN study reportedly found that PPI patients faced increased kidney risks, including a 96% increased risk of developing kidney failure and a 28% increased risk of chronic kidney disease, compared to patients who took histamine H2 receptor blockers.

Popularity Increasing PPI Complications

To note, proton pump inhibitors are among the most popular medication groups in the country, with millions of prescriptions written. However, the total number of users is likely much higher due to the availability of over the counter variants. And with so many users of drugs like Nexium and Prilosec, the number of PPI side effect complaints keeps climbing.

There are many factors that may be contributing to this medication group’s popularity, with the wide range of PPI uses most likely being one of the primary reasons. Proton pump inhibitors work by limiting the amount of digestive fluids secreted in the stomach, which reduces symptoms in conditions like acid reflux, heartburn, and stomach ulcers.

“Although PPIs are one of the most commonly prescribed medications, 25% to 70% of these prescriptions are estimated to have no appropriate indication,” Dr. Emily Hart and her colleagues from the department of pharmacy practice at the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences stated.

Coauthor Dr. David Jacobs further stated that this study “adds to a growing list of concerning side effects and adverse outcome associated with” these medications, especially in regards to kidney failure with PPI use. The risk is even more so for long term PPI users.

The researchers ultimately concluded that if the popularity of PPIs continues, then it could pose a significant threat to public health and financial burden to the healthcare system in the United States.