THURSDAY, Aug. 10, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Cumulative use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for more than 4.4 years is associated with an increased risk for dementia, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in Neurology.

Carin Northuis, M.P.H., Ph.D., from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and colleagues examined the associations between current and cumulative PPI use and risk for incident dementia in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. PPI use was assessed at clinic visits 1 (1987 to 1989) to 5 (2011 to 2013) and reported annually. PPI use was classified according to current use at visit 5 and duration of use prior to visit 5 (zero days, one day to 2.8 years, 2.8 to 4.4 years, and >4.4 years).

The analysis included 5,712 dementia-free participants at visit 5. The minimum cumulative PPI use was 112 days and maximum use was 20.3 years; median follow-up was 5.5 years. The researchers identified 585 incident cases of dementia over follow-up. Compared with those not using PPIs, participants using PPIs at visit 5 did not have an increased risk for developing dementia during subsequent follow-up. An increased risk for dementia was seen for those using PPIs for >4.4 cumulative years prior to visit 5 compared with those reporting no use. For lesser amounts of use, the associations were not significant.

“It is important that people taking these medications speak with their doctor before making any changes, to discuss the best treatment for them, and because stopping these drugs abruptly may result in worse symptoms,” coauthor Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., also of the University of Minnesota and a member of the American Academy of Neurology, said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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