Researchers looked at medical records representing nearly 3 million people. Some were taking PPIs and others were taking another type of heartburn medicine, H2 blockers: cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid), or ranitidine (Zantac). No one had a history of heart disease. Those who used the PPIs were more likely to have a heart attack than those who did not take the drugs, the researchers reported. No similar link was found with H2 blockers.
The researchers found only a link between PPIs and heart attacks, though -- they can’t prove that PPIs actually raise the heart attack risk. Earlier research found PPIs can harm blood vessel lining. That finding led researchers to study if the drugs were linked to a higher risk for heart attack. The FDA issued a safety warning in 2012 that prescription PPIs may cause low blood levels of magnesium, which can lead to muscle…
