Hospitalized for taking medication incorrectly.

A 72-year-old male patient, taking anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant medications simultaneously, suffered gastrointestinal bleeding leading to severe anemia and a high risk of death.

On November 18th, Dr. Huynh Phuc Nguyen, Head of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at the Cardiovascular Center, Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, stated that the patient was admitted with a swollen face, low blood pressure, severe fatigue, and bloody stools. The patient received emergency blood transfusions and underwent emergency gastrointestinal endoscopy to determine the cause.

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The results showed gastritis, but no cause of bleeding in the upper or lower gastrointestinal tract was found. The diagnosis pointed towards bleeding from the small intestine, so the patient underwent an abdominal CT scan, which revealed multiple diverticula in the colon with signs of hemorrhage.

Colonic diverticula are pouches of mucosa and submucosa that protrude from the wall of the colon. According to doctors, this is a common condition in older adults. Most patients with colonic diverticula are asymptomatic, and about 20% experience abdominal pain or gastrointestinal bleeding due to inflammation or hemorrhage.

About 75% of bleeding from diverticula stops on its own, but the risk of recurrent bleeding is high, around 50%.

Three months prior, the patient underwent coronary revascularization and was taking antiplatelet medication regularly as directed by their doctor.

He suffered from arthritis for many years, experiencing frequent pain, so he took many kinds of traditional Chinese medicine and dietary supplements to alleviate his symptoms. As a result, he developed drug-induced Cushing's syndrome. Recently, due to severe joint pain, he resumed taking traditional Chinese medicine, leading to severe gastrointestinal bleeding.

Dr. Nguyen explained that the patient had suffered from diverticulitis for a long time but it went undetected. He had been taking various medications for arthritis pain for many years, which may have contained corticosteroids and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

These anti-inflammatory drugs carry the risk of causing inflammation and damage to the lining of diverticula, leading to bleeding. The longer the medication is used, the higher the risk of diverticulitis and lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

The patient received blood transfusions, circulatory volume replacement, and cardiovascular support. The drug-induced gastrointestinal bleeding stopped, and the patient's hemodynamics stabilized after 24 hours.

After 5 days of treatment, the patient's condition stabilized, they were eating normally, could move around easily, and were discharged 3 days later.

Risk factors for inflammation and bleeding of colonic diverticula include older age, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and anti-inflammatory medications.

Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs are used to prevent and treat arterial diseases, atrial fibrillation, etc. Combining these medications without medical supervision increases the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Dr. Nguyen advises that people with heart disease, especially those taking anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs, should not take other medications without consulting their doctor, particularly anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs. This is to avoid dangerous side effects and complications.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/nhap-vien-vi-uong-thuoc-sai-cach-d230367.html