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The Short-Term Medical Management of Non-Variceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

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Abstract

Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding occurs frequently and results in substantial patient morbidity, mortality and medical expense. After initial resuscitation to stabilize the patient, carefully performed endoscopy provides an accurate diagnosis and can identify high-risk subgroups in ulcer patients who are likely to rebleed with medical therapy alone and would benefit most from endoscopic haemostasis. Several different pharmacological therapies have been used for patients with bleeding ulcers, including intravenous histamine H2-receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitors, somatostatin and octreotide, and tranexamic acid. The results of several studies and meta-analyses favour high-dose, intravenous proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole or pantoprazole, after successful endoscopic haemostasis.

For patients with ulcer bleeding and low-risk endoscopic stigmata, high-dose oral proton pump inhibitor therapy is suggested. Medical management with proton pump inhibitors is not a substitute for appropriate endoscopic therapy for patients with UGI bleeding and high-risk ulcer stigmata.

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Acknowledgements

No sources of funding were used to assist in the preparation of this article. Dr Jensen has acted as a consultant for AstraZeneca and has received both honoraria and research grant support from AstraZeneca. Dr Kovacs has no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this review.

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  1. CURE Digestive Disease Research Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Building 115, Room 212, 11301 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, 90073-1003, USA

    Thomas O. G. Kovacs & Dennis M. Jensen

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  1. Thomas O. G. Kovacs
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Correspondence to Thomas O. G. Kovacs.

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Kovacs, T.O.G., Jensen, D.M. The Short-Term Medical Management of Non-Variceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding. Drugs 68, 2105–2111 (2008). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200868150-00003

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