The effect of prophylaxis therapy on prevention from gastrointestinal bleeding in ICU in patients

Background: Stress ulcerations are the most common cause of gastrointestinal bleeding in
intensive care unit (ICU) patients, prophylaxis therapy may decrease mortality. However, the cost
and side effects pose restrictions to its use. In this study ICU in patients who received. Sucralfate
and Ranitidine were compared to a similar group who did not receive prophylaxis in terms of
gastrointestinal bleeding.
Methods and Materials: In this study (clinical trial) 150 in patients of ICU ward in Katam
(PBHH) were investigated from Mehr 1380 to Urdibehesht 1381. patients were divided into 3
groups of 50 at random the group I were given 1gm sucraflate every 6 hours, group II were given
50mg Ranitidine every 8 hours, control group received no drug.
In this study endpoint primary hemorrhage was due to stress ulcerations.
Results: There were 13 cases (26 %) of hemorrhage in sucralfate group, 6 cases (12%) in
Ranitidine, and 12 cases (24%) in control group. Stress-related hemorrhage in patients who
received sucralfate in comparison to those in control group (P=0.8174) and also in comparison to
ranitidine group did not have significant difference (P=0.7440). Hemoohage to stress ulcerations in
patients who received Ranitidine in comparison to those in control group did not have significant
difference (P=0.1184.)
Conclusions: this study revealed that gastrointestinal bleeding due to stress –ulcerations in
patients who received Sucralfate or Ranitidine in comparison to those who received no prophylaxis
therapy for stress ulcerations did not have significant difference which was in conformity with other
studies conducted previously.