Acid-Reducing Drugs Decrease Ulcer Risk (NAPSA)}—According to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, medications known as nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are responsible for gastrointestinal complications that have led to more than 100,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths in the United States. NSAIDs include prescription and over-the-counter aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen— medications that millions of Amer- icans take every day to control varying types and degreesof pain. People may be at increased risk for stomach ulcers if they take NSAIDs on a daily basis. In fact, as many as 20 percent of those who take NSAID pain relievers daily may develop stom- ach ulcers. Talk to your doctor If your doctor thinks you may be at increased risk for developing a stomach ulcer, he or she may recommend a proton pump inhibitor (PPI—a type of medication that can be taken along with your pain medication. PPIs, when taken along with NSAIDs, can reduce the risk of developing a stomach ulcer by limiting the amountof acid the stomach produces. Alternatively, a medication Factors that mayplace people at increased risk of a stomach ulcerinclude; Continuous NSAID use Increasing age Ahistoryof ulceror Gl complications Alcohol use @ Everyday pain medication may lead to an increased risk for stomach ulcers. known as misoprostol can be taken to reduce the risk of stom- ach ulcers from NSAIDs by helping to protect the stomach lining. “Traditional NSAID therapy is a crucial first-line treatment in the fight against chronic pain. However, potentially serious gas- tric side effects are often a deter- rent to continued treatment,” says dames M. Scheiman, M.D., Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. “By adding a PPI to long-term treatment with NSAIDs, many Americans may be able to decrease the risk for developing gastric ulcers.” To learn more about stomach ulcers, talk to your doctor and visit www.ulcer-risk.com.
