Antisecretory Drugs

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and H2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) are among most commonly used and overprescribed drugs worldwide. They are used for treatment of acid-related conditions. H2RAs were the first and very effective group of medications used for the therapy of acid-peptic disease and their safety and efficacy led to their availability without a prescription. PPIs were long considered to have a very good safety profile. However, in recent years chronic PPI use has been associated with several serious side effects, such as increased fracture risk and risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Many of those findings resulted from observational studies and further investigations are needed to elucidate the mechanisms behind the findings and reveal their clinical relevance.