High-dose omeprazole reduces the rate of recurrent bleeding after endoscopic treatment of peptic ulcer bleeding. However, the effectiveness of high-dose vs. standard-dose omeprazole in peptic ulcer bleeding has never been shown.
Aim: To compare the benefits of high-dose vs. standard-dose omeprazole in peptic ulcer bleeding.
Methods: We reviewed the medical files of patients admitted between 1997 and 2004 for high-risk peptic ulcer bleeding who had undergone successful endoscopic treatment. We distinguished 2 periods: before 2001, standard-dose omeprazole (40 mg/day intravenously until alimentation was possible, then 40 mg/day orally for 1 week); after 2001, high-dose omeprazole (80 mg bolus injection, then 8 mg/h continuous infusion for 72 h, then 40 mg/day orally for 1 week). During both periods, patients subsequently received omeprazole, 20 mg/day, orally for 3 weeks.
Results: We enrolled 114 patients (period 1, n = 45, period 2, n = 69). Therapy with high-dose omeprazole significantly decreased the occurrence of poor outcome (27 vs. 12%, P = 0.04), rebleeding (24 vs. 7%, P = 0.01), mortality due to haemorrhagic shock (11 vs. 0%, P < 0.001) and need for surgery (9 vs. 1%, P = 0.05).
Conclusions: In this retrospective study, high-dose omeprazole reduced the occurrence of rebleeding, need for surgery and mortality due to hemorrhagic shock in patients with high-risk peptic ulcer bleeding, as compared with standard-dose omeprazole.