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Medic combination of analgesics and gastric protective drugs harms the intestine
For years, experts have warned about the health risks of painkillers. Researchers from Austria have now been able to show that the combined use of certain analgesics and gastric protective drugs damage the intestine. To protect it, another medicine is needed.
Painkillers with dangerous side effects
Health experts repeatedly point to the sometimes drastic side effects of painkillers. Recently, scientists from Denmark reported on a study that showed that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diclofenac and ibuprofen increase the risk of cardiac arrest. Patients who take such painkillers are often prescribed additional drugs for "stomach protection". However, this drug combination damages the intestine, as Austrian researchers now report.
Many patients with inflammatory joint disease take painkillers. In addition, they often take medications for "stomach protection". However, this combination can damage the intestine. (Image: Syda Productions / fotolia.com) Combination with stomach protection damages the intestine
Millions of people in Germany suffer from joint diseases such as osteoarthritis. For many of them, exercise is like pedaling or swimming.
However, many patients with inflammatory joint disease and pain also take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as the well-known drug diclofenac.
Since these drugs attack the gastric mucosa, a proton pump inhibitor is often also recommended as a "stomach protection". However, this combination damages the intestine, as Austrian researchers report in the journal "Gastroenterology".
Colonization of the small intestine with unwanted bacteria
The clinical pharmacologist Markus Zeitlinger and the gastroenterologist Werner Dolak of the MedUni Vienna were able to show in a joint study that this combination of drugs can lead to inflammation in the small intestine.
"Antirheumatics can cause inflammation throughout the gastrointestinal tract, and proton pump inhibitors can negatively affect bacterial gut flora, allowing colonization of the small intestine with unwanted bacteria," the university said.
In this way an unhealthy influence of the highly individual microbiome, which has every human being, happens.
Study participants had to take a small camera
To reach their conclusions, the scientists studied sixty healthy volunteers for a fourteen-day period in which the drug-related reactions in the gut were examined by means of imaging capsule endoscopy.
This procedure involves swallowing a small capsule camera that automatically takes pictures on its way through the gastrointestinal tract and sends them out to a portable data recorder.
The images can then be analyzed on the computer and the camera excreted naturally.
Antibiotic for intestinal protection
The subjects were first examined by capsule endoscopy and then divided into two groups.
The participants of one group were given the active ingredients diclofenac and omeprazole as gastric protection and additionally the antibiotic rifaximin, which has shown in animal models a beneficial effect on intestinal protection.
The other group received a placebo instead of the antibiotic.
Additional antibiotic treatment protects the intestine
According to the researchers, in about one-third of the latter group after two weeks on the basis of another capsule endoscopy striking inflammation in the small intestine were found.
In the first group, the subjects had significantly less inflammatory changes, and if so, they were less severe.
As stated in the MedUni Wien communication, the results of the study confirmed that the additional administration of rifaximin protects the intestine.
As a next step, a study will be carried out to investigate the treatment concept of regular users of antirheumatics.
Ingestion only with medical prescription
Health experts, however, warn against taking painkillers permanently. The same applies to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as omeprazole.
As the German Society for Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS) recently wrote in a press release: "Recently, there are increasing indications that a long-term intake of PPI could cause more side effects than previously known."
But: "In some cases, their use as" stomach protection ", ie as a precaution of gastric bleeding, triggered by the long-term use of certain drugs such as acetylsalicylic acid or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, meaningful and important," said DGVS expert Professor. med. Matthias Ebert.
Basically, such remedies should only be taken if the doctor has prescribed them and their gift is really necessary. (Ad)