Researchers at Cedars-Sinai analyzed nearly 20 years of health records from over 650,000 U.S. adults with irritable bowel syndrome, finding associations between certain medications and increased mortality. Antidepressants were linked to a 35% higher risk of death, while loperamide and diphenoxylate showed about double the risk compared to non-users. Other IBS treatments like FDA-approved drugs and antispasmodics showed no such increase.
The study, published in Communications Medicine, examined long-term safety of treatments for IBS, a chronic condition affecting about 10% of Americans. Led by Ali Rezaie, MD, medical director of the GI Motility Program at Cedars-Sinai, the research filled a gap left by short-term clinical trials, which typically last less than a year despite patients often using medications for decades. Rezaie noted, 'Many patients are diagnosed with IBS at a young age and may remain on medications for years.'
