If you suffer from heartburn (also known as acid reflux), medication can be an incredible relief. Proton-pump inhibitor (or PPI) medications are one common treatment and include popular brands such as Prilosec (omeprazole), Prevacid, and Nexium. But PPIs are not an ideal long-term solution, as Cleveland Clinic Wellness warns:

These drugs are extremely effective, but taking them long-term raises your risk for a laundry list of serious health woes, including heart attacks, infections, brittle bones, chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer’s, and even an early death. If you’ve been taking PPIs for more than a few weeks, make an appointment with your physician to determine whether you still need it and to create a treatment plan.

That said, the clinic also notes that you should not stop taking PPIs cold turkey, as that can induce intense “rebound heartburn” that sends you running for your medication again. The best ways to ward off reflux over the long haul are “by losing weight if you need to, eating small meals, avoiding foods that trigger indigestion (such as citrus, peppers, fried foods, garlic, caffeine, and alcohol), allowing for at least three hours between dinner and bedtime, and propping up the head of your bed at night.”