Health and Healthcare

Will Prilosec's Bad New Hurt Procter & Gamble?

Douglas A. McIntyre

Published: May 15, 2016 9:00 am

Last Updated: January 13, 2020 8:03 am

The heartburn drug Prilosec got a damaging blow when a study in Circulation Research showed that the class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPI), the class of drugs which includes Prilosec may lead to blood circulation problems. Prilosec is one of the best selling drugs made by The Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG), so its has to be bad news for the consumer products company.

Fox News reported:

Vascular cells chronically exposed in vitro to PPIs led to a buildup of cellular garbage in cellular linings, thus accelerating blood vessel aging.

The results of this are potentially blood circulation disease, kidney problems and dementia, all among the diseases which most plague older Americans.

Fox added:

An estimated one in 14 Americans uses an over-the-counter PPI like omeprazole, sold as Prilosec, to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also called heartburn or acid reflux. Considered the most effective treatment for GERD, PPIs are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use four weeks at a time, but research suggests up to 70 percent of PPI use may be inappropriate.

One of the examples of the massive Procter & Gamble commitment to the drug is a series of expensive ads which are “hosted” by Larry the Cable guy. The message:

When you eat, millions of tiny pumps in your stomach lining create acid to break down food. When your LES (lower esophageal sphincter) relaxes, excess acids can flow up, or reflux, into your esophagus. This can create the painful sensation of heartburn.

Prilosec OTC works by directly blocking many of the active stomach pumps that produce acid before they start. Prilosec OTC is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). The way the active ingredient in Prilosec OTC works to fight heartburn sets it in a whole separate class from other treatments such as histamine blockers or antacids

Nice cure, until it makes you much sicker.