Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) Archive

Long-term risks are associated with proton-pump inhibitors, but there are other options for treating acid reflux.

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Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), which reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach, are so effective at treating heartburn and ulcers that they've been among the world's top-selling drugs for 25 years. Initially available only by prescription, PPIs, which include omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), and esomeprazole (Nexium), have been sold over the counter for several years. However, now that millions of people are taking PPIs, the drugs have been linked to an increasing number of health risks, such as fractures, kidney problems, vitamin B12 deficiency, low magnesium, and—most recently—dementia and heart attack.

"These studies—especially those suggesting a relationship to dementia and heart attack—are concerning," says Dr. Jacqueline Wolf, a gastroenterologist and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and author of A Woman's Guide to a Healthy Stomach: Taking Control of Your Digestive Health.

The FDA is warning that over-the-counter antacids with aspirin in them can cause stomach bleeding in rare cases. 

They affect more women, but men still are at risk.

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Most people never think about gallstones—that is until they experience the severe, gut-piercing pain of a gallstone attack. "These often strike after eating, especially a high-fat or high-cholesterol meal, and can last about 30 minutes to two or more hours," says Dr. William Brugge, past director of gastrointestinal endoscopy at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

The attacks often begin in the upper-right side of the abdomen and may spread to the back, between the shoulder blades, and under the right shoulder. Nausea or vomiting may also occur.

Doctors recently discovered a gene in E. coli bacteria that makes it resistant to an antibiotic that is typically used when other drugs fail. This new finding suggests that effectiveness of last-resort antibiotics is at risk. As more bacteria evolve to “outsmart” antibiotics, scientists are increasingly concerned about infections caused by “superbugs” that cannot be treated with existing antibiotics.

For years, many kids could skip the traditional flu “shot” — along with the tears — and still be protected by the nasal spray vaccine also known as the LAIV (live attenuated influenza vaccine). But not this year. Studies now show that the nasal vaccine is quite ineffective, and pediatricians are starting to change their flu recommendations from a nose squirt to a shot.