[Endoscopic findings of low-dose aspirin associated ulcers]

Low-dose aspirin (L-ASA) has been increasingly used for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular events, and has the advantages of both low cost and long duration of antiplatelet action. But, an increment of L-ASA prescription has become an object of public concern for gastrointestinal events through its antiplatelet action and cyclooxygenase inhibitory action. Although knowledge about endoscopic characteristics of L-ASA associated ulcers is limited, the ulcers have common distinctive feature that sudden gastrointestinal bleedings or latently advanced-anemia are often the earliest symptom because aspirin-induced ulcers often exist without symptoms of dyspepsia. Endoscopic characteristics of L-ASA associated ulcers seem to be required further investigation, including the impact of the severity of gastritis and corpus atrophy by Helicobacter pylori infection on the endoscopic characteristics.