Education-based approach to addressing non-evidence-based practice in preventing NSAID-associated gastrointestinal complications.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate an evidence-based educational program for improving strategies for prevention of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-associated gastrointestinal (GI) complications.


METHODS
Four hundred and fifty-six specialists replied to a questionnaire that covered issues related to NSAID-induced adverse effects. They also collected data from their last five consecutive patients before and after they had attended an evidence-based seminar on GI prevention strategies.


RESULTS
Four hundred and forty-one of 456 specialists (96.7%) participated in the survey, and 382 (83.7%) in the education-based study that recorded data from 3728 patients. The specialists overestimated the risk of GI complications with NSAIDs, underestimated the GI safety profile of coxibs, but were aware of the risk factors and of the current prevention strategies. Proton pump inhibitors were co-prescribed with NSAIDs in > 80% of patients with and without risk factors. The educational program had little impact on prescribing habits.


CONCLUSIONS
Specialists are informed of advances in NSAID-associated adverse effects and have high rates of GI-prevention therapy. Our educational program did not alter these rates.
Lanas
Angel
A
Service of Digestive Diseases, University Hospital, University of Zaragoza, Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de Salud, Centros de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), C/San Juan Bosco 15, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain. alanas@unizar.es
Esplugues
Juan-V
JV
Zapardiel
Javier
J
Sobreviela
Eduardo
E
D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004501:Education, Medical; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal