Gastrointestinal (GI) Ulcers

It is well known that patients “under stress” such as sepsis, trauma, mechanical ventilation etc are at high risk to develop “stress ulcers” in the GI tract.  These ulcers can range from minor and require no intervention, or they could become serious and lead to bleeding or perforation of the GI tract.  Because GI ulcers are a known potential complication in patients in the ICU, the lack of preventive treatment (ulcer prophylaxis) may constitute deviation from the standard of care. There are certain indications for the general use of GI prophylaxis, including being on a ventilator ( breathing machine ) for more than 48 hours, a known bleeding disorder, or a history of a GI ulcer.