A recent study determined that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), drugs used to treat chronic acid reflux, cause the constriction of blood vessels. The finding raises concern that long term use of PPI drugs such as omeprazole and lansoprazole will lead to high blood pressure and a weakened heart.

The drugs set in motion a series of enzyme driven reactions that reduce the level of nitric oxide that normally help the blood vessels relax. Using animal models and human tissue, researchers found that PPIs reduced the ability of blood vessels to relax by over 30%.

These findings potentially add to a growing list of health risks linked to PPIs which currently include pneumonia, C diff infection, bone fractures and dangerously low blood magnesium levels (also linked to cardiovascular risk). The science-based Fast Tract Diet is designed to vanish acid reflux through diet eliminating the need for either PPIs or H2 acid-blocking drugs.