Access to the full text of this article requires a subscription or payment. Please log in or subscribe below.

Ulcer healing drugs affect gastroscopy results

  1. Ian Ross, Consultant gastroenterologist (ross@newark.cnht.cnhc-tr.trent.nhs.uk),
  2. June Edgehill, Sister in charge, endoscopy unit
  1. Newark Hospital, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 4DE
  2. Department of Primary Care and General Practice, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT
  3. Institute of Health Sciences, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LF

    EDITOR—Bashford et al report a 10-fold rise in prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors between 1991 and 1995, mainly because of increased unlicensed use for non-ulcer dyspepsia.1 Diagnosis of non-ulcer dyspepsia will be increased by the frequent use of ulcer healing drugs before referral for gastroscopy because these drugs reduce diagnostic yield.2

    We audited 270 dyspeptic patients referred for gastroscopy to determine the ideal time to stop ulcer healing drugs before investigation. In all, 154 (57%) patients had taken ulcer healing drugs in the 3 months before gastroscopy; 77 of these received proton pump inhibitors. When we compared patients treated with ulcer healing drugs with those who had not taken these drugs in the 3 months before gastroscopy, treated subjects had a …

    Access to the full text of this article requires a subscription or payment

    Subscribe

    Article access

    Article access for 1 day

    Purchase this article for £20 $30 €32*

    The PDF version can be downloaded as your personal record

    * Prices do not include VAT

    Rapid responses

    THIS WEEK'S POLL

    BMJ most popular