Prevacid (lansoprazole) is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication used to treat heartburn and acid reflux. It works by stopping the enzyme in the stomach walls that makes acid. When too much acid is produced it may travel upward into the throat and damage the esophagus, as in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or lead to conditions like Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, which can cause tumors to form in your pancreas and duodenum as well as ulcers in the stomach. There are some side effects that can be problematic after long-term use of Prevacid.
Dependency
After long-term use of Prevacid, heartburn symptoms can occur where they weren't present before, even though the medication is stopped. This forces the patient to cycle back into using the medication, according to Christina Reimer, M.D., of Koge University Hospital in Denmark. The patient may then become dependent on the drug.
Infectious Diarrhea
Since Prevacid reduces the amount of acid production in the stomach, it may therefore allow bacteria to multiply. This can cause infectious diarrhea in those who use Prevacid over a long period of time, according to Ray Sahelian, M.D., as reported on his website RaySahelian.com.
Cancer and Hip Fractures
Long-term use of Prevacid may be a cancer-causing agent or be a factor in hip fractures, according to Dr. Sahelian. There may also be problematic infections from the bacteria Helicobacter pylori and production of stomach polyps after long-term use of Prevacid.
