Famotidine for the Prevention of Gastric and Duodenal Ulcers Caused by Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 334; no. 22; pp. 1435 - 1439
• Main Authors: Taha, Ali S, Hudson, Nicholas, Hawkey, Christopher J, Swannell, Anthony J, Trye, Penelope N, Cottrell, Jeremy, Mann, Stephen G, Simon, Thomas J, Sturrock, Roger D, Russell, Robin I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 30.05.1996
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - adverse effects; Anti-Ulcer Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Digestive system; Double-Blind Method; Drug dosages; Duodenal Ulcer - chemically induced; Duodenal Ulcer - epidemiology; Duodenal Ulcer - prevention & control; Famotidine - therapeutic use; Female; Histamine H2 Antagonists - therapeutic use; Humans; Incidence; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Osteoarthritis - drug therapy; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Risk Factors; Stomach Ulcer - chemically induced; Stomach Ulcer - epidemiology; Stomach Ulcer - prevention & control; Treatment Outcome; Ulcers; Human; Immunopathology; Stomach; Duodenum; Toxicity; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Autoimmune disease; Inflammatory joint disease; Antiulcer agent; Long term; Non steroidal antiinflammatory agent; Prevention; Chemotherapy; Chronic; Treatment; H2 receptor; Rheumatoid arthritis; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Ulcer; Antagonist; High dose; Gastric disease
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199605303342204

Gastroduodenal damage can be seen on endoscopy in 20 to 40 percent of people who take nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In epidemiologic studies, the risks of peptic ulcer and death are three to six times higher among people who take these drugs than among those who do not. 1 , 2 An effective strategy to prevent these complications is needed. Endoscopic studies have shown that misoprostol prevents NSAID-associated gastric and duodenal ulcers, 3 – 5 and in one study the incidence of complications from ulcers was reduced. 6 However, misoprostol may cause diarrhea and abdominal pain, it has little effect on symptoms of dyspepsia, and . . .