New study finds a common heartburn pill could increase risk of kidney disease

Patients who take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are more likely to suffer from kidney disease compared to those who take different drugs to settle down acid production called H2 blockers. For many people, PPIs help them control painful symptoms that can disrupt their daily lives, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

However, new research conducted by a team from the University of California-San Diego sheds new light on the drug's deadly consequences. The team analysed data of close to 43,000 patients who took PPIs. They also examined a controlled group that consisted of 8,000 people. The controlled group were given histamine-2 receptor blockers like Zantac or Pepcid.

The results showed patients who took PPIs were 28.4 times to develop chronic kidney disease, 4.2 times more likely to develop acute kidney injury and 35.5 times more likely to develop an end-stage renal disease.

The team also found only 0.7 per cent of patients who took histamine-2 receptor antagonists reported a kidney-related adverse reaction. Meanwhile, for patients who took only PPIs it was 5.6 per cent.

The team hopes their findings prompt healthcare officials to make their patients aware of the consequences, especially if they are already at risk of the disease. Researchers now want to conduct a controlled clinical trial to substantiate their findings.