Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced gastric damage: epidemiology

Although figures vary considerably, the ingestion of aspirin or other non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is associated with an increased risk of gastric ulceration, ulcer bleeding, ulcer complications and of death by a factor of around 3. Evidence for duodenal ulcer (DU) disease is less convincing, but the risk of complications of DU disease, bleeding and perforation, are increased to much the same extent as for gastric ulcer. Whether this increase in complications for DU represents exacerbation of an existing DU diathesis remains unresolved.