Home Family Practice Use of Acid-Suppression Therapy Linked to Migraine, Severe Headache

Use of Acid-Suppression Therapy Linked to Migraine, Severe Headache

Adjusted odds ratios of 1.70, 1.40, and 1.30 seen for proton pump inhibitors, H2 receptor antagonists, and generic antacids, respectively

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, April 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Use of acid-suppression therapy is associated with higher odds of migraine or severe headache, according to a study published online April 24 in Neurology: Clinical Practice.

Margaret Slavin, Ph.D., from the University of Maryland in College Park, and colleagues examined the association between migraine and severe headache prevalence and use of acid-suppression therapy. Data were obtained from adults in the 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

The researchers found that use of acid-suppression therapy was associated with higher odds of migraine or severe headache in 11,818 U.S. adults, with higher odds for all types of acid-suppression therapy and use of any type versus nonuse (adjusted odds ratios [95 percent confidence intervals], 1.70 [1.32 to 2.18], 1.40 [1.00 to 1.95], and 1.30 [1.05 to 1.61] with use of proton pump inhibitors, H2 receptor antagonists, and generic antacids, respectively). No significant differences were seen between acid-suppression therapies. There was an interaction observed for H2 receptor antagonist use with magnesium intake.

“These results suggest that there is a need for more intentionally designed prospective work to inform the extent to which associations between migraine and acid-suppression therapy are merely detecting comorbidities or to what extent migraine is an adverse event associated with the medications,” the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.