Heartburn pills ‘can raise osteoporosis risk’

LONDON - Heartburn pills can lead to more than one bargained for - the drugs have been linked to an increased risk of the bone disease osteoporosis.

According to a research, the meds used by millions of patients to treat indigestion and heartburn, called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), are linked with broken bones later in life.

Back in 2006, University of Pennsylvania researchers found that patients taking PPIs for more than a year were 44 per cent more likely to suffer a hip fracture.

And in 2008 a team at the University of Manitoba in Canada found a similar increase in risk among those taking the drugs regularly for five years, reports The Daily Express.

Rob Dawson, of the National Osteoporosis Society, said: “All drugs carry some risks so you have to weigh them against the overall benefits.” (ANI)