The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7304 p757
19 June 2004

This article
Reprint   Photocopy

  Acrobat Reader

News summary

Omeprazole appropriate after some acute GI bleeds

Omeprazole is appropriate for some patients admitted to hospital following an acute upper gastrointestinal bleed, despite proton pump inhibitors not being licensed for this indication, according to the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (2004;42:41).

The DTB recommends that those with endoscopic evidence of active or recent peptic ulcer bleeding be given intravenous or oral omeprazole, preferably in addition to local haemostatic therapy. Such use reduces the risk of continued bleeding or rebleeding.