An interesting observation regarding common OTC heartburn medications. From United Press International:
Heartburn meds linked to drug-resistant bacteria
Common heartburn meds may foster the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut, a new research review suggests.
In an analysis of 12 past studies, researchers found that, overall, the evidence supports a link: People who use acid-suppressing medications -- particularly proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) -- are more likely than nonusers to harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the gut.
The findings do not prove that PPIs -- which include popular brands such as Prilosec (omeprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole) and Nexium (esomeprazole) -- are the cause, experts said.
But they are the latest to raise safety questions about the top-selling prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
We need to remember that this is a research review and not a full-fledged paper so this data is preliminary. Also, Correlation does not imply causation: "Correlation does not imply causation" is a phrase used in statistics to emphasize that a correlation between two variables does not imply that one causes the other."
But still...
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