A 71-year-old man was admitted to the hospital after getting very dizzy upon rising from the toilet seat. At that time his pulse was racing and he remembers that his stool looked very different than usual. Over the last 4 or 5 weeks before the incident, the patient self-medicated with high-dose ibuprofen three times a day to control some pain in his hips. What is the mechanism of action for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to cause gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding?
- they inhibit arachidonic acid synthesis
- they inhibit bradykinin synthesis
- they inhibit cyclooxygenase
- they inhibit histamine synthesis
- they promote prostaglandin synthesis
Answer(s): C
Explanation:
NSAIDs inhibit cyclooxygenase and consequently inhibit (not promote, choice E) synthesis of prostaglandins. In the stomach, prostaglandins have a cytoprotective effect through inhibition of acid secretion, enhancement of mucosal blood flow, and stimulation of bicarbonate and mucus secretion.
Inhibiting these processes can cause stomach ulcers and bleeding such as described in the case.
Arachidonic acid (choice A) is not directly affected by NSAIDs--it is turned into prostaglandin by
the action of cyclooxygenases. NSAIDs do not regulate bradykinin and histamine synthesis (choices B and D).
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