https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/studies-link-some-stomach-drugs-to-possible-alzheimer-rsquo-s-disease-and-kidney-problems/Over-the-counter packages of Nexium, Prevacid and Prilosec tell you to take the pills—known to doctors as proton-pump inhibitors, or PPIs—for just two weeks at a time unless otherwise directed by a physician. Yet drugs of this best-selling class prevent heartburn and ease related ailments so well that patients—particularly those who suffer from a condition called GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)—are often advised to take the medications for years. By decreasing acid production in the stomach, the agents prevent the caustic liquid from backing up—or refluxing—into the esophagus, where it can cause pain and can damage the food tube's delicate lining.
