Non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs indiced gastrotoxicity

ABSTRACT

Non-Steroidal-Anti-Inflammatory-Drugs [NSAIDs] toxicity in the upper gastrointestinal tract is amongst the most common serious drug-induced toxicity. Enormous progress has been made in the understanding of NSAIDs-induced peptic ulcer disease in the last decade. Inhibitors in at-risk patients would require further investigation. The introduction of Cox-II specific agents offers the opportunity for safe and effective treatment for patients who are at high risk for developing GI complications. However, large, long-term, randomized and controlled studies are needed in the future to assess the overall safety of Cox-II specific inhibitors, especially in organs outside the GI tract. Whilst several matters of detail about use of Cox-II specific inhibitors persist, there is sufficient data to be confident that Cox-II specific inhibitors represent a therapeutic revolution capable of reducing NSAIDs associated gastric complications substantially. Whether such complications will be at placebo levels will require further study. The available data is still limited, particularly in the at-risk groups i.e., elderly, patients with previous history of GI complications, and are on corticosteroids