MedWire News: Many people who take painkillers called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do not realise that these medications could potentially cause stomach ulcers and other gut problems, say researchers.

"This is a serious issue given what we know about the significant risk of injury and bleeding in the gastro-intestinal tract in patients using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs," said lead researcher Dr David Johnson, from the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, USA.

Dr Johnson and his team surveyed patients attending a private gastro-intestinal clinic in Virginia about their use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

All the patients had previously provided the medical staff with a list of the medications they were taking.

The researchers found that nearly 20% of respondents said they had used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs without reporting the use of these medications to medical staff. Furthermore, 8% of these patients said that they used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on a daily basis.

When asked why they had not mentioned use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to medical staff, 22% of the respondents said that they believed these drugs posed no dangers, mainly because they had bought them 'over-the-counter' without the need for a prescription.

"This reflects a common misperception that these medications are insignificant or benign when actually their chronic use, particularly among the elderly and those with conditions such as arthritis, is linked to serious and potentially fatal gastro-intestinal injury and bleeding," said Dr Johnson.

Speaking at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, Dr Johnson concluded that all patients who take over-the-counter painkillers should inform their doctors so that they are aware of any potential gastro-intestinal side effects.