Dementia from PPIs: A hypothesis that may have led to gastrointestinal bleeding

Over the past week, while covering the inpatient gastroenterology service, we cared for three patients who were hospitalized with gastrointestinal bleeding who were found to have large, potentially life-threating, stomach ulcers. All three of the patients had abruptly stopped their acid-suppressing proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication in the preceding 1 to 2 weeks.  With PPIs being a primary therapy for gastroesophageal reflux and ulcer treatment, why would these patients have …

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