| Abstrakt: |
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of treatment strategies to reduce clinically significant gastrointestinal adverse effects associated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE search (1966–November 2003) was performed to identify relevant articles. Key search terms included proton-pump inhibitors, histamine H2antagonists, misoprostol, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selective inhibitors, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents, stomach ulcer, prevention, and economics. Additional references were obtained from cross-referencing the bibliographies of selected articles.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All information obtained from the MEDLINE search was reviewed. To provide the most clinically relevant information, only randomized controlled trials are included in this review.DATA SYNTHESIS: Clinically significant upper gastrointestinal adverse events, such as ulcers and ulcer complications, associated with NSAIDs are a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in the US. Interest in strategies to reduce the risk of these adverse events is high among clinicians and patients. Misoprostol, high-dose H2-receptor antagonists, proton-pump inhibitors, and COX-2 inhibitors have been shown to reduce this risk. Misoprostol and proton-pump inhibitors are more effective than H2-receptor antagonists; dose-related diarrhea limits the clinical utility of misoprostol. These strategies may not provide enough protection in patients taking concomitant low-dose aspirin therapy or patients with a history of ulcer complications.CONCLUSIONS: COX-2 inhibitors and proton-pump inhibitors are effective and well-tolerated therapies to reduce clinically significant upper gastrointestinal adverse events associated with NSAIDs. |
