People who take acid-suppressing drugs appear more susceptible to hip fractures. Scientists at Kaiser Permanente compared data from nearly 40,000 patients taking drugs like Prevacid or Zantac to 130,000 records of patients not taking heartburn medicine. After just two years on the medications, people were at greater risk of breaking a hip. Previous studies had implicated long-term use of proton-pump inhibitors like Nexium, Prevacid or Prilosec. This is the first study to show a danger from short-term use or older acid-blocking drugs like Pepcid, Tagamet or Zantac. Those on the highest doses had the greatest risk, with people in their 50s showing the greatest increase in fractures.
[Digestive Diseases Week annual meeting, Chicago, 2009]
