Common Meds Aren't Linked To Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Study Says

Follow Drugslib on

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com

via HealthDay

TUESDAY, July 8, 2025 — There’s no evidence that common medications can trigger a chronic inflammatory bowel disease called microscopic colitis, a new study says.

Microscopic colitis is responsible for more than 30% of all chronic diarrhea cases in seniors, and cases are rising worldwide, researchers said in background notes.

Previous studies had suggested that a wide range of meds could trigger the condition, including NSAIDs like aspirin and ibuprofen, blood pressure medications like ACE inhibitors, and depression drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), researchers said.

But a large-scale study of more than 2.8 million people in Sweden has found that these medications aren’t associated with an increased risk of microscopic colitis, researchers reported recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

“Our study demonstrated that, contrary to the previous belief, it’s unlikely that medications are the primary triggers for microscopic colitis,” lead researcher Dr. Hamed Khalili, director of clinical research at the Crohn's and Colitis Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a news release.

“Clinicians should carefully balance the intended benefits of these medications against the very low likelihood that they cause microscopic colitis,” he added.

Analysis revealed that the risk of developing microscopic colitis was less than 0.5% overall, and there was no association between the condition and taking ACE inhibitors, antiotensin II receptor blocker drugs (ARBs), proton pump inhibitors or statins.

People taking SSRIs did have a 0.04% increased risk of microscopic colitis, but that might be because folks on those drugs are more likely to have the condition discovered through a colonoscopy, researchers said.

“Our analyses suggest that surveillance bias is a likely explanation for earlier findings that implicated medications in the pathogenesis of microscopic colitis and may also explain the continued association with SSRIs,” senior researcher Dr. Jonas Ludvigsson, a professor of medical epidemiology and biostatistics at Karolinska Institute in Sweden, said in a news release.

Sources

  • Mass General Brigham, news release, June 30, 2025

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2025-07-09 00:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords