Acetylsalicylic acid/esomeprazole fixed-dose combination

The fixed-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)/esomeprazole capsule combines the cardiovascular (CV) protective effects of low-dose ASA with the gastroprotective effects of the proton pump inhibitor esomeprazole. It is approved for use as a convenient once-daily regimen in the prevention of CV and cerebrovascular events in patients requiring continuous low-dose ASA who are at risk of developing gastric and/or duodenal (peptic) ulcers. In two large, 26-week, randomized, double-blind, multinational, phase III trials (ASTERIX and OBERON) in patients who were receiving low-dose ASA for the prevention of CV events and who had an increased risk of ulcer development, the incidence of endoscopy-proven peptic ulcers (primary endpoint) was significantly lower with the addition of esomeprazole 20 mg/day versus placebo. Moreover, patient-reported dyspeptic symptoms (epigastric pain and epigastric burning) were reported in significantly fewer patients in the low-dose ASA plus esomeprazole group than in the low-dose ASA plus placebo group. Low-dose ASA plus esomeprazole treatment was generally well tolerated, with a similar adverse event profile to that seen with low-dose ASA plus placebo.