Long term intake of drugs commonly used to treat acid reflux conditions may double the risk of developing stomach cancer, a study reveals..
The study compared the use of proton pump inhibitors(PPI) with another type of drug used to dampen down acid production called histamine H2 receptor(H 2 blockers)in adults treated with triple therapy- a combination of a PPI and and 2 antibiotics over 7 days.
The average time between triple therapy and the development of stomach cancer was just under 5 years. More frequent use was associated with greater risk and daily use linked to more than quadrupling in risk.
The longer PPIs were used , the greater was the risk of developing stomach cancer, rising to five-fold after more than a year.increasing greater with continued use
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