Opinions and practice of stress ulcer prophylaxis in australian and new zealand intensive care units

Abstract

Background: Intensivists frequently prescribe proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or histamine-2 receptor blockers (H2RBs) to intensive care unit patients for stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP). Despite the common use of SUP medicines, there is limited high-level evidence to support the choice between them. Aim: To describe self-reported practice of SUP by Australian and New Zealand intensivists. Method: An online questionnaire of intensivists between 13 January and 3 February 2014. Results: Seventy-two intensivists responded to the survey: 61 (85%) practised in public metropolitan ICUs and 13/48 (27%) practised in paediatric ICUs. Fifty-two (72%) respondents indicated that PPIs were their preferred S..