BACKGROUND Although several agents are available to treat osteoporosis, the relative efficacy and toxicity of these agents when used to prevent fractures has not been well described. PURPOSE To compare the benefits in fracture reduction and the harms from adverse events of various therapies for osteoporosis. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE (1966 to November 2007) and other selected databases were sear...

Probiotics are viable defined microorganisms (bacteria or yeasts) that exert a beneficial effect on the health of the host when ingested in adequate amounts. Screening for such biotherapeutic agents is commonly performed by in vitro assays simulating gastrointestinal environment to determine the ability to survive in the digestive tract. In the present study, the possibility of extrapolation of...

The commonly reported gastrointestinal side effects that occur with erythromycin are related to its prokinetic action on the gut, mediated, at least in part, by its motilin receptor stimulating activity. This action may be of clinical use in conditions associated with gastrointestinal hypomotility such as diabetic gastroparesis and intestinal pseudo-obstruction, although further work needs to b...

Agents that modify serotonergic function have therapeutic potential for the treatment of visceral hypersensitivity, either through a direct effect on perception or through modulation of visceral tone or motility. Administration of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors reduces oesophageal sensitivity to distension but not gastric sensitivity to distension. 5-HT ligands may also influence gastr...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke are at risk for systemic complications. The reasons why gastrointestinal bleeding occurs after stroke are unknown and have intuitively been attributed to stress ulcers. No study to date has addressed causes of gastrointestinal hemorrhage in stroke. METHODS Between 1976 and 1994, 17 patients identified from the Mayo Clinic med...

BACKGROUND Nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding emerges as a major complication of using antiplatelet agents and/or anticoagulants and represents a clinical challenge in patients undergoing these therapies. AIM To characterize patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding related to antithrombotics and their management, and to determine clinical predictors of adverse outcom...

Aspirin has a well-established role in secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, but increases gastrointestinal bleeding, especially when used in high-risk patients. Unfortunately, gastrointestinal bleeding in patients after acute coronary syndrome portends poor prognosis and is independently associated with increased risk for adverse cardiovascular events and mortality. Proton-pump inhib...

Chronic constipation is highly prevalent, reduces patients' quality of life, and imposes a significant health care burden on society. Lifestyle modifications and over-the-counter agents improve symptoms of constipation in some patients, however many patients have persistent symptoms and require the use of prescription medications. Three prescription medications are currently Food and Drug Admin...

Irinotecan (CPT-11, Camptosar) a topoisomerase I inhibitor derived from the Chinese shrub Camptotheca acuminata, has broad activity in varied gastrointestinal malignancies, including pancreatic, biliary, esophageal, and stomach cancers. Using cisplatin (Platinol) plus irinotecan as a backbone for chemotherapy, a combination for which in vitro synergy and possible sequence dependency have been i...

The concept was appealing in its simplicity. Traditional nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibited both isoforms of the enzyme cyclooxygenase responsible for the first step in the conversion of arachidonic acid into a variety of prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes throughout the body. The anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects of NSAIDs resulted from inhibition of ...