People who use proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to control stomach acid are more likely to end up in the hospital with infectious gastroenteritis, also known as stomach flu, researchers found.
Doctors prescribe PPIs like Nexium (esomeprazole) and Prilosec (omeprazole) to treat chronic heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), two conditions caused by too much stomach acid. PPIs are some of the most frequently prescribed drugs in the world. In the U.S., about 20 million people use them each year at a cost of about $14 billion.
