Thirty-five-year-old Saiful Islam [not his real name] was suffering from diarrhoea for a long time. To get treated, he came from Madaripur to the gastroenterology department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in February this year.

After a series of diagnoses, a board of physicians found a certain germ in his stool responsible for the diarrhoea -- a side effect of taking Omeprazole for the previous three years.

"We just withdrew all medicines for him and he recovered," said Dr Razibul Alam, professor of BSMMU's gastroenterology department yesterday.

"This has become a common case for many patients. The main reason is taking anti-gastric medicine for a longer period," he added.

Doctors discuss many other side effects of taking anti-gastric medicines at a seminar titled "Overuse of PPI: A review of emerging concern" on the BSMMU campus yesterday.

They said Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) are the highest selling medicines in the country. These are being used indiscriminately and should be stopped immediately.

First introduced in 1989, the five main forms of PPIs are Omeprazole, Esomeprazole, Pantoprazone, Rabeprazole and Lansoprazole.

Of those, Rabeprazole was banned by the Directorate General of Drug Administration for its adverse effect earlier this month.

"We have to take note that not all the stomachaches are caused by gastric. Hence, PPIs should not be taken without proper reason," said Dr Razibul Alam during his keynote presentation.

The majority of people, as well as doctors, associate common problems like diarrhoea, constipation, and different kinds of aches with gastric and take or prescribe PPIs, which is not the right thing to do, he said.

"Intake of gastric medicines for more than eight weeks is excessive."

Dr Sharadindu Kanti Sinha, assistant professor of pharmacology, presented another keynote on the pharmacology of PPIs.

"Long-term intake of PPI medicines may cause nutritional deficiencies, including calcium and magnesium deficiencies, diarrhoea, and overgrowth of the intestinal organism," Dr Sharadindu Kanti Sinha told this correspondent following the seminar.

All of the observations regarding these adverse effects are based on different case studies conducted mainly abroad, he said.

Speaking as chief guest, Prof Sharfuddin Ahmed, vice chancellor of BSMMU, said, "If we can maintain a disciplined diet, we will not suffer from acidity and there will be no need for medicine. Consuming medicine means welcoming another disease."

He mentioned that around 45 percent of gastric or stomach cancer among patients is caused by the overuse of PPI.

Speakers at the seminar also stressed the judicious use of PPI medicines.

Conducted by Dr Muhammad Shahdullah Sabuj, an associate professor of neurology, Prof Dr AKM Mosarraf Hossain, pro-vice chancellor (research and development) of BSMMU, and Prof Dr Sayedur Rahman, chair of the pharmacology department, spoke at the event, among others.