Heartburn pill deters ulcers.

• Position: Medication - Brief Article

For those who take certain pain-killer drugs regularly to help ease arthritis pain or other chronic aches, the relief comes with a price: a quadrupled chance of developing ulcers over the longer term, as their digestive systems brim with acid that erodes the lining of their stomachs and upper intestinal tract. Yet, a prescription heartburn drug called esomeprazole effectively prevents ulcers among painkiller users, producing few side effects.

"This is a very encouraging result, especially since the participants represented the 'real world' population that faces this ulcer risk," announces James Scheiman, a University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, gastroenterologist. "The...