Does long-term use of gastritis medication cause memory loss? (PPIs and Dementia)

A problem that many of us have is gastritis , or heartburn . Heartburn after eating, stomach acid ... These are very annoying things. When a doctor prescribes a medicine for this, it gives you great relief. But the problem is, some people continue to use this medicine for more than the doctor prescribed, sometimes for years. If you are one of them, this article will be very important for you. Because, a recent study has found that there may be a link between long-term use of this medicine and dementia , a disease in which memory is gradually lost.

What is this medicine? What kind are we talking about?

We're talking about a very common and very effective class of medications for gastritis. These are called proton pump inhibitors , or PPIs for short. Simply put, these medications work by reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces. This reduces the amount of acid in your stomach, which can help control conditions like heartburn, ulcers , and acid reflux .

The table below lists some of the most common medications in our country that belong to this group of PPIs. You may also find the medication you are using listed here.

These are very good and useful medicines. But the question is about their long-term use. Although there have been different opinions about this before, a recent study published in the famous medical journal *Neurology* has brought this issue to the forefront again.

What is the risk according to the study?

What this study clearly shows is that short-term use of PPIs has not been shown to increase the risk of dementia. However, the risk does appear if someone uses these medications continuously for more than 4.4 years.

Now you may be wondering, what is dementia? Simply put, dementia is a general name given to a group of diseases in which brain cells are gradually damaged, gradually losing our memory, thinking ability, reasoning ability, and ability to perform daily tasks. The most common type of this disease that we have all heard of and seen is Alzheimer's disease .

This study was conducted on 5,712 people over the age of 45. None of these people had dementia when the study began. They were followed for about five and a half years. The results were very important.

• Those who did not take the medication: Of the 4,222 people who participated in the study who did not take PPI medication, 415 developed dementia.
• Those who took the medication long-term: However, out of 497 people who took this medication for more than 4.4 years, 58 developed dementia.

These statistics suggest that there may be a link between long-term use and risk.

So should I stop taking this medicine right now?

No. Absolutely not! This is the most important thing you need to remember.

If you stop taking this medicine suddenly, your gastritis symptoms, such as heartburn, may become worse than before. This is called 'Rebound Acidity'. Therefore, you should not make any decisions on your own.

The best and safest thing you can do is to talk openly about this with your doctor.

See your doctor and ask:

• "Doctor, I've been using this medicine for years now. Is it okay to continue taking it?"
• "Is there any new information about the long-term side effects of this medication?"
• "Can I reduce the dosage of this medicine? Or is there another option?"

Depending on your condition, your doctor will recommend the best solution for you. He or she may suggest things like:

• Lifestyle changes: Things like controlling weight, not going to bed too soon after dinner, and reducing oily, spicy, and sour foods.
• Other medications: You may be able to use other, short-term medications (e.g., antacids) to control your symptoms.
• Use only when needed: You may be advised to take the medication only when symptoms occur, rather than taking it every day.

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Your doctor will determine the best treatment plan for you.

Are there other risks?

Yes. In addition to this dementia risk, previous studies have found that long-term use of PPIs may be associated with several other health problems, including an increased risk of bone fractures, chronic kidney disease, and stroke .

This is not to say that these medications are dangerous. These are very useful medications. But like any medicine, they should be used for the right reason, for the right duration, and only on medical advice.