According to a new study, patients taking heartburn medications may not be aware of the drug’s risks for their kidneys, but ‘silent’ kidney damage is surprisingly prevalent.

Reported by futurity.org, the study looked at 125,000 patients who used heartburn medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which include Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, and Protonix.

The study found that over half of the patients taking PPI drugs who develop chronic kidney damage had not experienced kidney problems beforehand. Researchers say that this finding indicates that patients may be suffering from ‘silent’ kidney damage: an undetected decline in kidney function.

By contrast, only 7.7 percent of users of another type of drug, H2 blockers, developed chronic kidney disease without first exhibiting acute kidney problems. This is more than a 40 percent gap in the number of drug users experiencing ‘silent’ kidney damage.

“The onset of acute kidney problems is not a reliable warning sign for clinicians to detect a decline in kidney function among patients taking proton pump inhibitors,” says Ziyad Al-Aly, the senior author of the study, also an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine.

‘Silent’ kidney damage is also a significant risk, offering no such warning signs of acute kidney problems earlier on.

“Our results indicate kidney problems can develop silently and gradually over time, eroding kidney function and leading to long-term kidney damage or even renal failure.”

Al-Aly noted that the ‘silent’ kidney damage associated with PPI medications like Nexium is cause for concern. “Patients should be cautioned to tell their doctors if they’re taking PPIs and only use the drugs when necessary.”

Indeed, ‘silent’ kidney damage is a good reason to be extremely cautious when taking PPIs. “Doctors must pay careful attention to kidney function in their patients who use PPIs, even when there are no signs of problems. In general, we always advise clinicians to evaluate whether PPI use is medically necessary in the first place because the drugs carry significant risks, including a deterioration of kidney function.”

PPI drugs are used by over 15 million Americans to treat heartburn, ulcers, and acid reflux through a prescription. PPI drugs are also available over-the-counter, and millions more purchase the drugs this way.

Proton Pump Inhibitor Basics

Proton Pump Inhibitor drugs, or PPIs, are a method of heartburn treatment that work to reduce a patient’s gastric acid in the stomach. PPIs like Nexium and Prilosec are some of the most widely used medications in the United States.

PPI Complications

However, PPI drugs like Nexium and Prilosec are also linked to serious kidney complications, including bone fracture, pneumonia, Clostridium difficile infection or even permanent kidney damage. This new study indicates that many patients may be experiencing ‘silent’ kidney damage—their kidney function gradually being lost while outwardly showing no signs.

Filing a Nexium Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has experienced PPI drug side effects like permanent kidney damage after using Nexium, Prilosec, or another similar proton pump inhibitor drug, you may be able to file a kidney damage lawsuit and receive compensation.