According to a new study, pantoprazole significantly reduces upper gastrointestinal bleeding in ventilated ICU patients. This conclusion comes from the extensive REVISE Trial and is supported by a meta-analysis of multiple studies, suggesting widespread impacts on clinical practices. The REVISE Trial, involving 4,800 ICU patients, demonstrates that pantoprazole reduces gastrointestinal bleeding risks without affecting mortality rates, influencing future critical care guidelines.
A commonly available drug helps prevent upper gastrointestinal bleeding in critically ill adults on a breathing machine, according to the results of a global study and meta-analysis led by researchers at McMaster University. The research, published on June 14, 2024 in The New England Journal of Medicine and NEJM Evidence , investigated the effect of the gastric acid suppressant pantoprazole, which is primarily used to treat heartburn caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Pantoprazole , sold under brand names like Protonix, is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) used primarily to treat conditions caused by excess stomach acid, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and stomach ulcers.
It works by blocking the enzyme that produces stomach acid, thereby reducing acid levels and helping heal acid-related damage in the digestive tract. Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who need a breathing machine (mechanical ventilator) also receive pantoprazole to prevent upper gastrointestinal blee.
