1. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms and therapies in elderly out-patients, users of non-selective NSAIDs or coxibs
- Author
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Pilotto, A, Franceschi, M, Vitale, DF, Zaninelli, A, Masotti, G, Rengo, F, Barbagallo, M, Bavazzano, A, Bernabei, R, Biagini, C, Cucinotta, D, Guizzardi, G, Granchi, F, Laguzzi, E, Maugeri, D, Mazzei, B, Nicita, MV, Nieddu, A, Noro, G, Olivari, G, Palummeri, E, Policicchio, D, Postacchini, D, Putzu, P, Tardi, S., ANNONI, GIORGIO, Pilotto, A, Franceschi, M, Vitale, D, Zaninelli, A, Masotti, G, Rengo, F, Annoni, G, Barbagallo, M, Bavazzano, A, Bernabei, R, Biagini, C, Cucinotta, D, Guizzardi, G, Granchi, F, Laguzzi, E, Maugeri, D, Mazzei, B, Nicita, M, Nieddu, A, Noro, G, Olivari, G, Palummeri, E, Policicchio, D, Postacchini, D, Putzu, P, and Tardi, S
- Subjects
Male ,Drug ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Gastrointestinal bleeding ,Gastrointestinal Diseases ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Drug Prescriptions ,Gastroenterology ,Random Allocation ,Gastrointestinal Agents ,Ambulatory care ,Internal medicine ,Ambulatory Care ,Humans ,Medicine ,Upper gastrointestinal ,Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors ,Pharmacology (medical) ,Medical prescription ,Aged ,media_common ,Gastrointestinal agent ,Hepatology ,business.industry ,Stomach ,Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ,medicine.disease ,ADR, Elderly Patients, NSAID ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Ambulatory ,Female ,Family Practice ,business - Abstract
Summary Background: The association between coxib or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use with gastrointestinal symptoms and drug prescriptions in ambulatory elderly patients is not well defined. Aim: To evaluate the association between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSAID and coxib use with gastrointestinal symptoms and therapies in elderly subjects managed by their general practitioner. Materials: The study was carried out by 133 general practitioners in Italy. By using a structured interview, sex, age, physical function, current medications, new drug prescriptions and upper gastrointestinal symptoms were registered from all elderly subjects who were referred to their general practitioners during a 2-week period. The numbers of hospitalizations, gastrointestinal bleeding events and gastrointestinal diagnostic procedures occurring during the last 6-month period were recorded. Results: Included in this study were 5515 elderly subjects. The overall prevalence of drug use was 92%. Musculo-skeletal drugs were taken by 15% of patients; NSAIDs were taken by 6%, and coxibs by 3% of patients. A significantly higher prevalence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms was observed in elderly NSAID users compared with coxib users and non-users of musculo-skeletal drugs (44% vs. 33% vs. 32% respectively, P = 0.001). The prescriptions of drugs for acid-related disorders were significantly higher in patients who were concomitantly taking NSAID rather than coxibs (13% vs. 6%, P
- Published
- 2005
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