Stress Ulceration Treatment Strategy

Patients who do not have one of the six major risk factors do not require treatment.

Patients in shock, sepsis, respiratory, hepatic or renal failure, or who have a coagulopathy, who are admitted to intensive care, should all be given stress ulcer prophylaxis. The agent of choice currently is probably ranitidine, based on best current evidence (although sucralfate remains a useful alternative). Patients involved in trauma probably also require prophylaxis, due to their propensity to develop the above problems. There is no evidence that prophylaxis of other patients, particularly chronic (non pulmonary) medical and perioperative surgical patients warrant the expense of prophylaxis.

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