Heartburn tablets increase the risk of kidney stones, research shows

POPULAR heartburn pills taken by millions of Brits can lead to agonising kidney stones, research shows.

Scientists found they raise the risk by around 12 per cent.

It’s the second safety alert in under a week over the drugs – called proton pump inhibitors for severe heartburn.

Popular brand names include Zanprol, Prilosec and Prevacid.

Similar research found the tablets raise the risk of a stroke by up to 94 per cent.

GPs in England dish out more than 50million prescriptions a year for the drugs.

Their use has doubled in recent years because Britain’s obesity epidemic has triggered more cases of acid reflux – the cause of severe heartburn.

PPIs are meant to be taken for a maximum four weeks and work by blocking cells, called proton pumps, which produce stomach acid.

But many patients end up on them for months or even years.

Medics at the Catholic University of Rome studied 187,000 men and women for 12 years.

Around 3,000 developed kidney stones – which can be as painful as childbirth.

Those on PPI pills were 12 per cent more at risk, according to results to be presented at an American Society of Nephrology conference in Chicago next week.

Another group of heartburn pills called histamine receptor-2 blockers – such as Zantac – had a similar effect.

Patients with existing kidney problems were more at risk of organ failure if they took the drugs.

Scientists think the heartburn drugs may stop the body excreting the right amounts of calcium – the main component of kidney stones.

Researcher Dr Pietro Ferraro said: “Use of PPIs and H2 blockers is associated with a small increase in risk of incident kidney stones.

“Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.”

Last month, a study found PPIs also appeared to be linked with infertility in young men.