Piroxicam, aspirin, and gastrointestinal blood loss.

A study to compare the effects of three piroxicam regimens and aspirin on fecal blood loss (FBL) was conducted among 39 healthy men. Fourteen of the subjects also underwent prestudy and poststudy gastroscopy. There was an increase in FBL after aspirin, 972 mg 4 times a day, whereas piroxicam, 20 mg once a day, 5 mg four times a day, and 20 mg four times a day induced no observable increase in fecal blood loss. There was gastroscopic evidence of irritation in the aspirin group, but not in any of the piroxicam groups.