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Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Senior Citizens at Risk of Cognitive Impairment from
H2 Blockers Like Zantac, Tagamet
This study only included African-Americans aged 65
and older
Aug. 3, 2007 Zantac, Tagamet and other histamine2
receptor antagonists (H2A) drugs that are used by millions of older
Americans to block stomach acid may be associated with cognitive
impairment in senior citizen African-Americans, according to study
published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics
Society.
The risk for showing signs of cognitive impairment
is 2.5 times greater for elderly patients using these medications
long-term, say researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine
and Regenstrief Institute
These acid blockers, including ranitidine and
famotidine, are among the most popular medications prescribed in the
United States. They are also known as as H2 blockers
More than 16 million prescriptions were dispensed
in 2005 and several of these medications are also available
over-the-counter.
The drugs are sold under brand names such as Axid,
Pepcid, Tagamet and Zantac, and are used to treat ulcers, acid reflux
and other gastrointestinal disorders.
The five-year observational study included 1,558
cognitively normal African-Americans aged 65 and older. After
controlling for other possible factors, nearly 18 percent of H2A users
studied exhibited signs of cognitive impairment.
Taking these medications continuously appears to
put older African-Americans at greater risk for the development of
cognitive impairment, said Malaz Boustani, M.D., MPH, assistant
professor of medicine at the IU School of Medicine and a Regenstrief
research scientist. Dr. Boustani is lead author of the study.
We need to study this further to determine how
acid blockers might be causing or creating this effect and if it occurs
only in African-Americans.
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