Popular Drug Ups Allergy | Is Grass-Fed Better for Planet?

From eNewsletter 9/9/2019

DID YOU KNOW that low-dose aspirin does not prolong disability-free survival of healthy people over 70, even in those at the highest risk of cardiovascular disease, according to results presented last week at ESC Congress 2019 and World Congress of Cardiology?

ALLERGY UPTICK FROM POPULAR DRUG CLASS?

Steve and Bonnie: Patients receiving gastric acid-inhibiting drugs have an increased risk of developing allergies, a study from Nature Communications has found.

Physicians commonly overprescribe gastric acid-inhibiting drugs and patients commonly overuse them as a result of the over-the-counter availability.

In the wake of this, an increasing number of studies has demonstrated serious adverse events associated with long-term use and overuse of these drugs. These include increased risk for osteoporotic fractures, Clostridium difficile or other gastrointestinal infections, and pneumonia. Add the development of allergies to the list.

The researchers included any prescription for a gastric acid-inhibiting drug (PPIs, sucralfate, H2-receptor antagonists, or prostaglandin E2 [PGE2]) and/or any prescription for an anti-allergic medication (eg, antihistamines or specific allergen immunotherapy).

Patients in the general population prescribed gastric acid inhibitors were almost twice as likely to later receive prescriptions for an anti-allergic medication than non-users of gastric acid inhibitors were.

There was also an age trend among all patients, with rate ratios rising in individuals up to 20 years of age and for those older than 60 years. This makes sense as there was a marked increase in prescriptions for babies in the late 1990's and early 2000's. Older persons are the age group most likely to be prescribed gastric acid inhibitors.

As few as six doses of gastric acid inhibitors each year were associated with a greater chance of being prescribed an anti-allergic medication. In addition, cumulative exposure to these inhibitors also increased the risk of receiving anti-allergic medications.

Of course, the bicarbonate supplement we recommend for reflux and sour stomach is NOT an gastric acid inhibitor, so there is no reason for concern. It promotes acid/alkaline balance, and does not block stomach acid like gastric acid inhibitors.