PPIs include such brand names as Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix, and Nexium, and they are used very frequently because they are generally effective and most patients don’t experience side effects. Short-term side effects of PPIs can include headaches, nausea, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal discomfort.

However, as with most medications, even if the patient does not experience any short-term side effects, there can be side effects that occur with long-term use of the drug. These long-term side effects may be serious, and recent research has looked more closely at the dangers of PPIs that can accompany chronic usage of this class of drugs.

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