Acid Reflux Medications and Heart Disease

A recent study suggested an association of PPI's such as Prilosec and heart disease. Although this will result in further research, it is premature to assume a cause and effect.

The study was something called "data mining". Using many existing research papers, the authors looked backward at patients who had developed heart disease to try and find medications more commonly found prior to the attack.

They did find that Prilosec was more commonly used. However, because this was a retrospective (looking backwards) study, they could not eliminate other causes which were not accounted for.

For example, smokers are more likely to get acid reflux and hence be prescribed PPIs. Similarly for overweight patients. As well, angina, or chest pain from heart disease, can sometimes start as a burning for which Prilosec may be inadvertently prescribed.

In my opinion this report does not show any cause and effect, and is fodder for more specific research. I would not change my medication use based on that.