[Diagnosis and therapy of intestinal mucosal injury due to low-dose aspirin]

NSAIDs users have a significantly higher incidence of colonic lesions than non-NSAIDs-users. Low-dose aspirin is widely used because it reduces the risk of vascular events in patients with coronary and cerebrovascular disease. There has been a substantial increase in prescriptions for low-dose aspirin in recent years. Recent advances in diagnostic methods including video capsule endoscopy and balloon endoscopy have enabled to observe the entire small intestine, and we now recognize that prevalence of small intestinal lesions. Low-dose aspirin users also have a significantly higher incidence of small and large intestinal lesions than non-low-dose aspirin-users. It is necessary to be aware of not only gastro-duodenal ulcers but also lower intestinal lesions with long-term use of low-dose aspirin.