Who needs prophylaxis of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced ulcers and what is optimal prophylaxis?
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used successfully by many patients for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of arthritis, and other painful and inflammatory disorders. However, traditional nonselective NSAIDs that inhibit COX-1 and COX-2 lead to a state of propensity for gastric and duodenal ulcer disease and ulcer complications. The point prevalence of endoscopic ulcers ranges from 14 to 44% of patients using NSAIDs. Moreover, it is estimated that 1.46-1.90% of chronic NSAID users develop serious upper gastrointestinal (UGI) toxicity annually, most notably UGI bleeding, gastric/duodenal obstruction or ulcer perforation. In the USA, it has been estimated that 107,000 hospitalisations and 16,500 deaths occur annually related to the use of nonselective NSAIDs. Because these ulcer complications are often not heralded by chronic symptoms of dyspepsia, symptoms alone are not sufficient to guide long-term management of NSAID-related toxicity. Instead, prophylactic and pr
