The use of proprietary medicines by patients presenting with peptic ulcer haemorrhage.
1. Medication, social and symptom histories were compared in patients with severe haemorrhage from a peptic ulcer (n = 71) and matched control subjects. Self-medication with proprietary agents was catalogued in addition to therapy prescribed by general medical practitioners. 2. Prior to the bleed, only 4% of ulcer patients had been free of symptoms normally associated with peptic ulceration, whereas 76% of the control group had been asymptomatic. 3. Gastro-irritant proprietary medicines were used regularly by 23% of ulcer patients compared with only 4% of controls. However, proprietary antacids were used chronically by 46% of ulcer patients compared with only 7% of controls. Bicarbonate was the antacid of choice used by 13% of ulcer patients. The odds ratio for the association between development of bleeding peptic ulcer and the use of indigestion remedies was 11.5% (95% CI 1.1, 121). 4. Fifty-one percent of ulcer patients were prescribed agents known to cause gastro-intestinal damage, whereas only 25% of the control group were prescribed similar agents. Only 7% of the control group were prescribed anti-ulcer therapy compared with 37% of those with bleeding ulcer. 5. A large proportion of patients with haemorrhage from a peptic ulcer had had symptoms sufficient to warrant recourse to self-medication with antacids without medical knowledge. Exacerbation of peptic ulcer by self-medication with proprietary products is likely to be of lesser significance.
Department of Medicine, East Birmingham Hospital, Bordesley Green East.
J F
JF
Marriott
P A
PA
Asquith
C J
CJ
Shorrock
D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000863:Antacids / Q000009:adverse effects; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010438:Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012651:Self Medication; D012907:Smoking
D000863:Antacids; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs