Blood Loss from Aspirin and NSAIDs
Author Information
Author(s): Moore R Andrew, Derry Sheena, McQuay Henry J
Primary Institution: Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, University of Oxford
Hypothesis
What is the degree of faecal blood loss associated with the use of aspirin, NSAIDs, and coxibs?
Conclusion
Aspirin and some NSAIDs can significantly increase faecal blood loss, especially at higher doses.
Supporting Evidence
- Low-dose aspirin and some NSAIDs resulted in a small average increase in faecal blood loss.
- Aspirin at full doses caused much higher average blood loss.
- 5% of NSAID users had daily blood loss of 5 ml or more.
Takeaway
Taking certain painkillers like aspirin can make you lose a little blood in your poop, and if you take a lot, it can be even more.
Methodology
A systematic review of randomized trials measuring faecal blood loss using chromium-labelled erythrocytes.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to the exclusion criteria and the quality of reporting in the trials.
Limitations
The studies had varying quality, small sample sizes, and included mostly healthy young men, limiting generalizability.
Participant Demographics
Mostly healthy volunteers, predominantly young men; 12% were older patients with arthritis.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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