The FDA warning is targeted at consumers. The warning relates to antacids sold to address problems associated with heartburn, sour stomach, acid indigestion, or upset stomach. Some of these products contain aspirin and some do not; the risks relate to aspirin containing medicines only.
Antacids are medications designed to control acid reflux and the resulting heartburn. They are types of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs), and they function by chemically switching off the production of acid in the stomach. The use of the medications is generally growing, according to consumer trends.
While many of the products contain warning notices about bleeding risks (added on FDA advice in 2009), FDA is concerned about the number of hospital cases being reported (as captured by the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System.) This has led to a general warning being issued about product safety. It is noted that the people affected had underlying health conditions.
The brands of products covered by the FDA warning include relatively well-known drug store names, such as:
Alka-Seltzer Original, Bromo Seltzer, Medique Medi Seltzer, Picot Plus Effervescent, Vida Mia Pain Relief, Winco Foods Effervescent Antacid and Pain Relief, and Zee-Seltzer Antacid and Pain Reliever.
There are also generic equivalents. This led consumer health advocate site HealthRanger (@HealthRanger) to tweet: “Antacids Containing Aspirin Can Cause Bleeding, FDA Warns.”
In the longer-term the FDA intends to constitute an advisory committee to discuss the continued risks from these products in the market to patients that fall into ‘at risk’ groups. This committee will be made up of an expert panel.
In alternative news, antacids might have a role to play in combating cancer. Here researchers have developed a method to halt cancerous tumors from growing by adding nanoparticles to everyday antacid tablets.
