[Non-steroid anti-inflammatory agents and gastrointestinal protection: adequate prescription in primary care?].

OBJECTIVES

To find the frequency of prescription of gastro-intestinal protectors (GIP) at the same time as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). To find certain characteristics linked to their use in primary care. To evaluate how correctly they are prescribed.

DESIGN

A crossover descriptive study.

SETTING

A base urban health area.

PATIENTS

Patients over 14, who attended in 1994, who had a medical history and were treated with NSAID.

MEASUREMENTS AND INTERVENTIONS

1,115 medical histories were obtained by simple randomised sampling, of whom 205 were under treatment with NSAID. A questionnaire was used to evaluate: age, sex, NSAID treatment, GIP, history of peptic ulcer, corticoid or acenocoumarol treatment, tobacco, alcohol and related pathology. After a complete bibliographic review, some criteria were fixed for when it is correct to give GIP-NSAID.

RESULTS

The prevalence of NSAID prescription was 18.39%. 34 patients treated with NSAID received GIP at the same time. Aceclophenac was the most widely prescribed NSAID; and H2 antihistamines, the drugs most commonly used as GIP.