UP THAT DRUGS CALLED PPIs
NEXIUM AND PREVACID AND
PRILOSEC MAY BE RISKY.
THEY ARE AMONG THE BEST-
SELLING DRUGS IN THE COUNTRY.
MORE THAN $10 BILLION ANNUALLY
FOR A CLASS OF ACID BLOCKING
MEDICATIONS CALLED PROTON PUMP
INHIBITORS.
OR PPIs.
IT SEEMS THAT HALF THE COUNTRY
MUST HAVE ACID REFLUX.
I CAN'T BREATHE.
MY RIBS WERE HURTING.
THE COUGH WAS SO HARD AND DRY.
I HAD SHORTNESS OF BREATH.
I WAS COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED.
I HAD TERRIBLE POSTNASAL DRIP.
ALTHOUGH THEIR SYMPTOMS WERE
NOT CLASSIC HEARTBURN, BOTH NIA
RODRIGUEZ AND FRAN CHESSA
MILLLOY HAD STOMACH ACID
REFLUX.
REFLUX COMES IN TWO FORM,
THE HEARTBURN PEOPLE AND
INDIGESTION AND THOSE WITH
RESPIRATORY REFLUX IN WHICH
THERE IS ASTHMA, ALLERGIES, AND
CHRONIC POSTNASAL DRINK.
DESPITE THE SYMPTOMS NEEDER
WANTED TO TAKE THE COMMON AND
POWERFUL ACID BLOCKING PPI'S.
PROBABLY A GOOD THING.
A NEW STUDY OF 350,000 PATIENTS
IN THE V.A.
SYSTEM FOUND THAT THOSE TAKING
PPI'S HAD A 25% GREATER RISK OF
PREMATURE DEATH COMPARED TO
THOSE TAKING H2 BLOCKERS LIKE
PEPCID AND ZANTAC.
AND THAT'S JUST THE LATEST OF
MANY STUDIES LINKING PPI'S TO
ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS INCLUDING
HIP FRACTURES, KIDNEY DISEASE,
AND INFECTIONS, DEMENTIA, AND
ESOPHAGEAL CANCER.
NIA AND FRANCESCA AVOIDED PPI'S
BY FOLLOWING THE ALTERNATIVE
METHODS.
DIET AND LIFESTYLE.
EAT TOO LATE.
TOO MUCH FATTY FOOD.
AND WE TEND TO OVEREAT.
AND MISS BREAKFAST AND LUNCH
AND EAT HUGE DINNERS.
SOME PEOPLE NEED ACID
BLOCKING DRUGS AND FOR THEM
EXPERTS ARE STARTING TO LEAN
TOWARD THE H2 BLOCKERS LIKE
PEPCID AND ZANTAC AND NOT AS
