Older users of popular antacids may be increasing their risk of developing dementia. A study by the Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute found that older African-American adults who regularly used histamine2 receptor antagonists (H2As), a class of drugs that blocks stomach acid and includes such popular brands as Zantac, Pepcid, and Tagamet, raised their risk of dementia almost two and a half times.
Researchers studied 1,558 African-Americans aged 65 and older for five years. None had dementia at the beginning of the study. Each person was questioned about their use of drugs, including antacids. At the end of the study, they found that those taking the antacids were 2.42 more likely to have developed dementia, which includes poor memory, confused thinking and impaired reasoning.
H2As are used to treat acid reflux, ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders. More than 16 million prescriptions were written in 2005 in addition to over-the-counter sales. Scientists believe the drugs interfere with a chemical in the brain involved with memory.
"This is certainly not the final word on the potential risk of these drugs," said Dr. John Morris of Washington University in St. Louis, who was not involved in the study. "But what it tells us is that, for older adults, drug use should be considered very carefully."
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