Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and mortality from peptic ulceration in West Germany: 1952-1989.

Previous epidemiological studies have examined peptic ulcer mortality in West Germany until 1980 and reported decreasing mortality rates for young and middle-aged people and increasing mortality rates for elderly people. Data on ulcer mortality until 1989 show that these trends have continued. The rise in mortality rates in the oldest age groups could be explained partially by their greater life expectancy, thus increasing the risk of lethal ulcer complications. Analysis of NSAID consumption in relation to the mortality pattern shows that there is an inverse correlation between NSAID consumption as measured by the number of prescriptions and peptic ulcer mortality. It is concluded that NSAID consumption is not responsible for the mortality pattern of peptic ulcer in West Germany.