Is that “Purple Pill” Increasing Your Risk of Kidney Disease?

• April 24, 2016
• Dangerous Pharmaceuticals

Nexium, Prevacid and Prilosec, some of the most prescribed medicines in the world, may increase your risk for kidney disease.

Nexium, Prilosec & Prevacid Linked to Kidney Disease

We see these drugs in the store and advertised on TV. We assume they are safe, but a recent study suggests these drugs may not be as safe as we think.

Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid, used by about 15 million Americans, are commonly used to treat heartburn, indigestion, gastritis, ulcers and acid reflux. These drugs are known as proton pump inhibitors or PPIs.

A recent study by the Journal of American Medical Association reported a significant increased risk to patients taking these types of drugs for developing acute kidney failure and chronic kidney disease, as much as a 20 to 50% higher risk of chronic kidney disease compared with nonusers.

People on PPIs for one to two years had a threefold higher risk of kidney failure than those who used the drugs for a month or less.

Over time, chronic kidney disease can lead to kidney failure. Kidney failure can mean undergoing regular dialysis treatments or potentially a kidney transplant.

If you have been taking one of these medications, especially for a longer period of time, you should talk with your doctor about your specific situation, alternative treatments and your likelihood for kidney disease.

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