[Gastrointestinal lesions produced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents: the clinical manifestations, risk factors, physiopathology, prevention and treatment].

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are among the most widely used drugs in the world and the major limitation to the use of this compounds are the gastrointestinal tract side effects. Almost all digestive tract could be involved but there are gastroduodenal ulcers and its complications (haemorrhage, perforation) the principal risks of these agents. Symptoms are poorly correlated with endoscopic findings: many patients asymptomatic debut with an ulcer haemorrhage or perforation. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory digestive side effects is rightly seen as a problem of the elderly (> 60 yrs) women and they are, otherwise, more likely to receive this drugs. The pathogenesis of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs gastropathy is not full understood, although it is generally believed that this agents produce ulcers through a combination of direct topical irritant actions and systemic inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. General prophylaxis and therapy with synthetic prostaglandins (misoprostol) and gastric secretion inhibitors of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug-induced gastroduodenal lesions are the basic strategies to carry out.