Many hospitalized patients get acid-suppressing drugs even though they don't need them
January 2007
Many hospitalized patients get acid-suppressing drugs even though they don't need them...and are still on them when discharged.
It's very common and appropriate to give an H2-blocker or proton pump inhibitor to prevent bleeding in patients at risk for stress ulcers.
These are usually ICU patients who are on ventilators or have coagulation problems, severe burns, trauma, head injury, etc. Patients with gastric ulcers or bleeding within the past year are also at risk.
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