Report: FDA warns of long-term PPI use

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration is warning that long-term use of a class of drugs for gastroesophageal reflux disease may decrease levels of magnesium in the body and increase the risk of such side effects as seizures and heart rhythm problems, according to published reports.

The reports quoted the FDA as saying that in a quarter of cases of proton-pump inhibitors depleting magnesium from the body, use of magnesium supplements did not bring levels back to normal, and use of the drugs had to be stopped.

The warning included popular drugs, such as AstraZeneca’s Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium), Prilosec's (omeprazole) and others, as well as over-the-counter PPIs.