Reducing the risk of stomach ulcers

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Adding an anti-ulcer drug to pain medication helps people avoid gastrointestinal complications.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including the COX-2 inhibitors, are used for the treatment of pain, including that arising from arthritis. But they often have the side effect of causing stomach problems. In a new study, a team at the University of Michigan looked at whether Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium) could help to protect the stomach.

Nexium is a drug which helps prevent stomach ulcers. Fewer patients taking Nexium with their NSAID or COX-2 inhibitor developed a stomach ulcer – five per cent versus 17 per cent. The differences appeared within a month of treatment starting and were maintained during the six months of the study. The researchers note that patients who already have a high risk of ulcers tend to be the ones who also use NSAIDs and COX-2s for other reasons, which compounds the problem. The addition of Nexium may help them take their pain and inflammation relief medication without fear of gastrointestinal side effects.

Source
American Journal of Gastroenterology April 2006

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