Introduction: Despite growing evidence showing an increased risk of concomitant use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and anticoagulants, few studies have investigated whether proton pump inhibitors can prevent gastrointestinal (GI) complications in patients receiving both NSAIDs and anticoagulants.
Objective: We aimed to evaluate the risk of serious GI complications and the impact of GI preventive strategies on the concomitant use of NSAIDs and anticoagulants.
Methods: Our nationwide cohort study using Korea's claims data included elderly patients (aged ≥ 65 years) who started anticoagulants and NSAIDs from 2016 to 2017. The outcome was serious GI complications defined as hospitalization or emergency department visits with GI bleeding or perforation. A Cox regression analysis was performed using time-dependent variables and propensity score matching.
Results: In total, 92,379 patients were identified. Compared with non-prophylaxis, proton pump inhibitors and selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors were associated with a 64% [adjusted hazard ratio, 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.25-0.53)] and 74% [adjusted hazard ratio, 0.26 (95% confidence interval 0.19-0.36)] lower risk of serious GI complications, respectively. Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor use was not different from the use of non-selective NSAIDs with proton pump inhibitors for the prevention of serious GI complications. H2-receptor antagonists did not reduce the risk of serious GI complications compared with non-prophylaxis during concomitant non-selective NSAID and anticoagulant therapy.
Conclusions: Proton pump inhibitors or cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors used as GI preventive strategies did not completely eliminate but lowered the risk of serious GI complications among elderly patients receiving both NSAIDs and anticoagulants.
© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.