Acid reflux and heartburn are annoying for sufferers, but two recent studies suggest that the medications used to manage them could damage the kidneys and increase the risk of chronic kidney disease.

The drugs in question are proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) which are in the top 10 list of prescribed medications in the United States. They function by decreasing stomach acid made by glands in the lining of the stomach, therefore relieving symptoms of acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and peptic or stomach ulcers. These drugs are available both as prescription and over the counter. PPIs may also treat damage to the lower esophagus that happens as a result of acid reflex.

Although these drugs give relief for many people who suffer this disease, the studies connect them in increasing the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition that is fast rising in the U.S. According to statistics, more than 20 million Americans have this disease, and it's usually increasing quickly in people over the age of 60.

People with during the early stage of CKD do not typically feel ill or notice any symptoms, so the only way to receive a diagnosis is through specific blood and urine tests. Once diagnosed, it can be treated by modifying the lifestyle and medications, which typically decrease the rate of the disease progression. Failure to seek treatment, however could lead to the kidneys to stop working, and the only way to treat a failing kidney is either dialysis or a kidney transplant.

In one of the studies, Benjamin Lazarus and his colleagues , from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, followed healthy adults over time and noticed the difference between people using PPIs and those who don't after summarizing the information they have observing. The team noticed that PPI users were 20-50% risk of developing the disease than non-users. 

Lazarus explained that If people can determine the negative effects of PPI medications, they can make their own intervention by not over using PPIs.