Ladislav Kužela, Marian Oltman
Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin, both prescribed and over the counter, as well as other analgesics, are the most frequently used medications worldwide. NSAIDs and aspirin are well recognized to be associated with gastrointestinal toxicity. Approximately half of patients who regularly take NSAIDs and aspirin have gastric erosions, and 15 - 30 % have ulcers when they are examined endoscopically. Their use is associated with an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal complications ranging from 1 % to 4 % per year. Not only do these agents cause disease of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum, but increasingly mucosal diseases of the small intestine and colon have been reported.