Heartburn Pills May Soothe Side Effects of Painkillers

HealthDay, October, 2003

People who take painkillers regularly to control arthritis or other chronic pain may keep stomach ulcers at bay by using drugs called proton pump inhibitors, says an international study.

Regular use of such non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as ibuprofen, naproxen and COX 2 inhibitors puts people at a quadrupled risk of developing ulcers over the long term.

The multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled study found the prescription heartburn drug esomeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, helped prevent ulcers among 573 people who were long-term painkiller users.

The drug blocks the production and secretion of gastric acid.

The study was presented Oct. 14 in Baltimore at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology.

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