Ulcer drug a fracture risk

Published on Wednesday 1 February 2012 01:12

POST-MENOPAUSAL women who take common indigestion drugs are 35 per cent more at risk of hip fracture, research suggests.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are prescribed for indigestion or peptic ulcers and work by blocking the actions of proteins called proton pumps, partly responsible for producing stomach acid. The two most commonly used PPIs for treating peptic ulcers in the UK are lansoprazole and omeprazole.

The study, published online in the British Medical Journal, said the increased risk was strongest in women who had smoked.