The Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors in Intensive Care Units

The bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract represent a significant medical but also socio-economic problem.A special group of patients et increased risk consists of critically ill patients in intensive care units. Particularly significant cause of bleeding in intensive care unit patients is bleeding resulting from the stress ulcers caused by damage of themucosa of the stomach and duodenum. The purpose of this review is to present current experience in prevention of upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding using proton pump inhibitors in intensive care units. Combination of endoscopic hemostatic methods and proton pump inhibitors represents golden standard in most cases. Despite some adverse effects treatment with proton pump blockers is essential when upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding appears in critically ill patients in intensive care units. Proton pump inhibitors are more effective in acid suppression, as well as in the prevention of recurrent bleeding after endoscopic hemostasis than histamine 2 receptor blockers. The efficacy of proton pump blockers is higher in the case of a continuous intravenous infusion than in the intermittent mode of administration of the drug. The need for highly elaborate strategy for the prophylaxis of bleeding from the upper parts of gastrointestinal tract in intensive care units is essential, because when it occurs in intensive care units, mortality is high, and therapeutic options become narrow.