Journal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society
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J. Physiol. Pharmacol. · Mar 1995
ReviewPrevention and treatment of ulcers induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: an update.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are most frequently used for the treatment of rheumatic disease due to their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. All NSAIDs have the potential to cause damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and have been associated with the induction of peptic ulcers and massive life-threatening bleeding. The therapeutic approaches for the treatment and prevention of NSAID-induced ulcers is critically reviewed using data derived from carefully controlled, world-wide clinical studies with anti-ulcer drugs. ⋯ Such pharmacological observations suggest that the pathophysiologic mechanisms for the induction of NSAID-induced gastric ulcer are distinctly different from those of NSAID-induced duodenal ulcers. Mild diarrhea and GI intolerance were the predominant adverse reactions experienced by patients receiving synthetic PGEs, particularly enprostil and arbaprostil. From the published data, we conclude that misoprostol is the only anti-ulcer drug proven to be well tolerated and effective for the treatment and prevention of NSAID-induced gastric and duodenal ulcers in patients receiving chronic NSAIDs therapy.