Side effects of anti-ulcer prostaglandins: an overview of the worldwide clinical experience.
Anti-ulcer prostaglandins (PG)--misoprostol, enprostil and rioprostil--have been given to more than 5000 patients in short-term studies on gastric and duodenal ulcer. Analysis of these studies shows the drugs to be safe. Their side effects appear to be dose-dependent and mainly restricted to the gastrointestinal system, the major syndromes being diarrhoea and abdominal pain. The clinical relevance of PG-related unwanted effects, though in average exceeding that of H2-blockers, seems to be sufficiently low. In terms of safety efficacy, however, they appear inferior to H2-antagonists, so their routine use in preference to the latter compounds is still premature.
Bianchi Porro
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Gastrointestinal Unit, L Sacco Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Parente
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D000527:Alprostadil / Q000009:adverse effects; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy; D016620:Enprostil; D006801:Humans; D016595:Misoprostol; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011459:Prostaglandins E, Synthetic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016630:Rioprostil; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D011459:Prostaglandins E, Synthetic; D016595:Misoprostol; D016630:Rioprostil; D000527:Alprostadil; D016620:Enprostil