Taking Antacids, Ranitidine Leads to Higher Odds of Flu Complications

Studies from decades ago have shown that patients who are taking antacids or Ranitidine have twice the rate of complications of influenza, including pneumonia. Ranitidine is the generic term for a group of acid reflux controlling drugs that includes brand names such as Nexium, Xantac, Prilosec, Prevacid, Reglan, Omeprazole and Aciphex.

The web page at Drugs.com specifically mentions pneumonia as a complication of using Ranitidine drugs. To quote: "Using ranitidine may increase your risk of developing pneumonia. Symptoms of pneumonia include chest pain, fever, feeling short of breath, and coughing up green or yellow mucus. Talk with your doctor about your specific risk of developing pneumonia."

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine replicated an earlier study from 1984. In both cases, patients taking antacid medications were twice as likely as those not taking such drugs to develop complications of influenza, specifically, developing pneumonia.

The study tested 244 patients who were on ventilators. They were randomly assigned doses of either sucralfate, ordinary antacids, or ranitidine. Of the patients on sucralfate, only 5 percent developed pneumonia. But four times as many developed pneumonia if they were on ranitidine, and three times as many if they were on antacids. No statistically significant difference was found among the three groups.

Why would such a complication of using such a popular drug occur? The article speculated that there was a link between killing off helpful bacteria in the gut and the development of secondary infections or complications.

Sucralfate is an anti-ulcer medication which helps form a protective barrier between the ulcer and stomach acids. It is only prescribed for short-term use (up to eight weeks) for an active duodenal ulcer.

BTW there are alternative treatments for acid reflux syndrome. Some claim to have found relief by adding apples and other such low-tech elements to their diet. (See claims made at http://www.refluxremedy.com/special.html?gclid=CICqxs2Un50CFc5L5Qod91ZL3A. No endorsement is to be implied by mentioning this site.)

SOURCES:

Prod'hom, Guy et al, Nosocomial Pneumonia in Mechanically Ventilated Patients Receiving Antacid, Ranitidine, or Sucralfate as Prophylaxis for Stress Ulcer, Annals of Internal Medicine, April 15, 1994, www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/120/8/653

Ranitidine, Drugs.com, 2000-2009, www.drugs.com/ranitidine.html