Emerging Long-Term Risks of the Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors and Potassium-Competitive Acid Blockers

Acid-related disorders represent a significant global health burden. Pharmacological treatment of these conditions has at times been challenged and limited by incomplete effectiveness, antibiotic resistance, adverse medication effects and/or interactions, and disease recurrence. Since the early 1990s, the mainstay of treatment has been proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a clearance for vonoprazan, a potassium-competitive acid blocker (PCAB). PCABs are a new class of acid-suppressing agents that may overcome some of these challenges. The aim of this review is to evaluate and compare the emerging long-term risks of PPI and PCAB therapies.