RT Journal
A1 Herzig SJ, Vaughn BP, Howell MD, Ngo LH, Marcantonio ER
T1 ACid-suppressive medication use and the risk for nosocomial gastrointestinal tract bleeding
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 2011
FD June 13
VO 171
IS 11
SP 991
OP 997
DO 10.1001/archinternmed.2011.14
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2011.14
AB 
The use of acid-suppressive medication in hospitalized patients has increased significantly over the last several decades. Studies estimate that 40% to 70% of medical inpatients receive acid-suppressive medications during their hospitalization.1- 3 Although some of these patients have clear indications for acid suppression, research has consistently found that most do not.4- 8 This practice appears to have stemmed from the use of acid suppression to prevent stress-related gastrointestinal (GI) tract bleeding (GI bleeding) in critically ill patients, where the incidence of nosocomial GI bleeding and the effect of acid-suppressive medication have been well characterized.9- 15 While current guidelines recommend against the routine use of prophylactic acid suppression in patients outside of the intensive care unit (ICU),16 this recommendation is based on expert consensus; there are little data available on the incidence of nosocomial GI bleeding in the non-ICU population and whether these patients would benefit from acid-suppressive medication.