Stent patients advised to switch heartburn drugs

CHICAGO, May 6 (Reuters) - A group representing cardiologists who perform stent procedures recommended that patients taking the blood thinner Plavix avoid certain acid reflux drugs after a study showed that combining the two raises the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Results of a large study presented on Wednesday at a meeting of the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions showed commonly used heartburn drugs called proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs, reduce the anti-clotting benefits of clopidogrel, the active ingredient in Bristol-Myers Squibb Co's (BMY.N) Plavix, when taken together.

In the study, patients taking clopidogrel and a PPI experienced a 50 percent increase in the risk of hospitalization for heart attack, stroke, unstable angina or repeat stent procedure.

The study, conducted by pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions Inc (MHS.N), focused on four proton pump inhibitors: AstraZeneca's (AZN.L) Nexium and Prilosec, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co's (4502.T) Prevacid and Wyeth's WYE.N Protonix.

Clopidogrel, plus aspirin, is routinely prescribed to patients following the insertion of stents to prevent life-threatening blood clots. PPIs are also frequently prescribed to patients following stent insertion to treat effects of clopidogrel such as nausea.

In some patients PPIs may also be taken routinely for gastrointestinal conditions like peptic ulcer disease.

The physicians' group issued a statement in response to the Medco study, recommending stent patients use alternative medications for gastrointestinal symptoms when possible. Other treatments for heartburn and ulcers include histaminergic (H2) blockers such as Zantac and Tagamet or antacids, the group said.

Use of PPIs may still be warranted in some patients due to certain medical problems and should be taken under the direction of a patient's doctors, the group advised. (Reporting by Susan Kelly; Editing by Richard Chang)