A new large-scale study led by researchers at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University is raising questions about the long-term safety of some medications commonly used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The findings suggest that certain drugs, including antidepressants, may be linked to a small but measurable increase in the risk of death.

Published in Communications Medicine , the study analyzed nearly 20 years of electronic health records from more than 650,000 adults in the United States diagnosed with IBS. This makes it the largest real-world investigation to date focused on how safe these treatments are over extended periods.

Understanding IBS and Its Treatment Options

IBS is a chronic digestive disorder that affects roughly 10% of people in the U.S.…