Using acid suppressive medications, such as proton pump
inhibitors and histamine2 receptor antagonists, may increase the
risk of developing pneumonia, states an article in CMAJ
(Canadian Medical Association Journal). Acid suppressive drugs
are the second leading medication worldwide, totaling over US$26
billion in sales in 2005. Recently, medical literature has
looked at unrecognized side effects in popular medications and
their impact on public health. This systematic review, which
incorporated all relevant studies on the association of acid
suppressive medications and pneumonia that could be identified
to August 2009, showed that out of every 200 inpatients being
treated with acid suppressive medication one will develop
pneumonia. "Several previous studies have shown that treatment
with acid-suppressive drugs might be associated with an
increased risk of respiratory tract infections and community-
acquired pneumonia in adults and children. However, the
association between use of acid-suppressive drugs and ri