Soft drinks, sleeping pills may prompt reflux pain

The question: Acid indigestion can interrupt attempts to get a good night’s sleep. Might things linked to heartburn during the day – such as drinking, smoking and certain medications – cause nighttime heartburn as well?

This study: analyzed data on 15,314 adults, at least 40 years old, who completed a questionnaire about sleep habits. About 25 percent (3,806) reported heartburn that awakened them two or more times a month. Smoking or drinking alcohol did not increase the likelihood of having nighttime heartburn, but people who drank carbonated soft drinks were, on average, 24 percent more likely to be awakened by heartburn than were those who did not drink these beverages. Benzodiazepine, a common sleeping pill, also increased the occurrence of nighttime heartburn; taking calcium channel blockers or antidepressants did not.

Who may be affected by these findings? Anyone who is awakened by the pain of acid reflux. Heartburn affects an estimated 40 percent of Americans at least once a month, 14 percent weekly and 7 percent every day.

Caveats: The authors speculated that the high acidity level of carbonated soft drinks contributes to heartburn; among medications, the reason only benzodiazepine had this effect remains unclear. The study was not randomized; findings were based on self-reported symptoms.

Bottom line: People suffering from nighttime heartburn may want to restrict their consumption of carbonated beverages; those taking sleeping pills may want to talk with their doctor about this possible side effect.

Find this study in the May issue of Chest; abstract available online at www.chestjournal.org.

Learn more about heartburn at www.mayoclinic.com and www.gastro.org (search for “nighttime heartburn”).