A study on clinical profile and risk factors in drug induced UGI bleeding

Back ground: It is highly unfortunate that many patients are admitted daily with hematemesis and or malena due to the adverse effects of drugs either prescribed or self-medicated. Incidence of such cases can be greatly reduced if medical practitioners are not only aware of the adverse effects of drugs on gastrointestinal tract but also assess the patients for the risk factors of drug-induced UGI bleeding before prescribing these drugs and also by properly educating the patients. Aim: To study the clinical profile and risk factors in fifty cases of drug induced UGI bleeding. Materials and methods: Fifty patients (32 males and 18 females) admitted with drug-induced hematemesis and or malena were studied with respect to age group, number of bouts of hematemesis, approximate quantity of total blood loss, causative drug responsible for UGI bleeding, risk factors of GI bleeding, number of individual risk factors in each patients. The prevalence of individual risk factors in those fifty patients and the prevalence of number of risk factors in those fifty patients were studied. Thorough clinical and laboratory investigations were done. Results: Hematemesis was the common symptom. Ibuprofen was responsible for the majority of cases (38%) followed by diclofenac (22%). Prevalence of risk factors among the patients are as follows: Age > 50 years of age - 66%, ‘O' Blood group – 50%, Alcoholism – 42%, Not using Gastro protective agents – 40%, Self-medication / OTC drugs – 36%, Smoking – 30%, Stress and Serious systemic illnesses – 12%, Helicobacter pylori – 12%, Known Peptic ulcer disease – 10% , High doses/ Chronic drug intake – 10%, Concomitant use of Steroids – 8% and Concomitant use of anticoagulants – 4%. Conclusion: NSAIDs were the commonest cause for UGI bleeding. Age > 50 years (66%) was the commonest risk factor for UGI bleeding. All those fifty cases had at least one known risk factor and majority (80%) had more than one risk factors of drug-induced UGI bleeding.