It has long been known that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like naproxen and ibuprofen, are associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal complications (ulcers and bleeding). Some arthritis patients have been prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) with their NSAID to reduce stomach acid. PPIs include drugs like Nexium, Prevacid, and Prilosec. But this may be a problem, according to researchers from the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute.
Study results published online July 11, 2011 in the journal Gastroenterology suggest that, while PPIs do protect the stomach from damage caused by NSAIDs, the problem is shifted to the small intestine. The problem may even be greater in the small intestine because ulcers located in that area are more difficult to detect and more difficult to treat.
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