A large, long-term study led by researchers at Cedars-Sinai University of Health Sciences suggests that some drugs commonly prescribed to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), including antidepressants, may be associated with a small but measurable increased risk of death.
IBS is a chronic gastrointestinal disease that affects approximately 10% of the U.S. population. There is no cure, but dietary modifications, behavioral therapy, and medications can help manage symptoms.
Many patients are diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome at a young age and may continue to take medication for years. However, most clinical trials of these drugs last less than a year, so little is known about their long-term safety. This study begins to address that gap. ”
Ali Rezaie, MD, medical director of the Gastrointestinal Motility Program at Cedars-Sinai University and senior author of the study
Researchers evaluated patients taking Food and Drug Administration-approved IBS medications, as well as antidepressants, antispasmodics, and opioid-based antidiarrheal drugs (such as loperamide and diphenoxylate) that are widely used and recommended for the treatment of IBS. They found that long-term use of antidepressants was associated with a 35% higher risk of death, and use of loperamide and diphenoxylate was associated with approximately twice the risk of death.
This study does not prove that these drugs directly cause death. Rather, the observed associations may reflect higher rates of adverse outcomes such as cardiovascular events, falls, and stroke, which were more frequent among exposed patients.
Although antidepressants are not approved by the FDA for irritable bowel syndrome, antidepressants are commonly prescribed to patients with irritable bowel syndrome to reduce pain, calm symptoms, and make the condition easier to manage. The study found that other recommended treatments, such as FDA-approved drugs and antispasmodics, were not associated with an increased risk of death.
The researchers emphasized that while the increased risk is significant and may be concerning, the overall risk to individual patients is small.
“People with IBS should not panic, but they should understand and weigh the small but meaningful risks when considering long-term treatment,” said Rezai, director of bioinformatics in the Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) program at Cedars-Sinai. “Patients should discuss the safest and most effective options for managing their symptoms with their health care provider.”
Rezaie said further research is needed to confirm these findings and identify which patients are most at risk. He also called for future treatment guidelines to better address the long-term safety of drugs commonly used to manage IBS.
Meanwhile, he emphasized a more individualized approach to IBS patient care.
“Treatment for patients with IBS should focus on identifying the underlying cause and using the safest, evidence-based options available, rather than relying on a single type of drug for long-term management,” Rezai said.
sauce:
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Reference magazines:
Meravar, S. others. (2026). Association between drug therapy and all-cause mortality in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Communication medicine. DOI: 10.1038/s43856-026-01498-6. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-026-01498-6
