New Ulcer-Risk Screening Test Available Nationwide. Do You Know Your S.C.O.R.E?
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Day to Day LivingHealth & WellnessMedical / PharmaceuticalNew Ulcer-Risk Screening Test Available Nationwide. Do You Know Your S.C.O.R.E?
New Ulcer-Risk Screening Test Available Nationwide
National Campaign Empowers Seniors to Help
Reduce Risks of Ulcers and Bleeding Caused
by Pain Relievers
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ via NewsEdge Corporation
Seniors throughout California are the first to use a new medical screening test to learn if they may be at risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding caused by commonly used pain medicines. Click here for S.C.O.R.E. Screening Test
In what is being hailed as a model screening program for the rest of the country, California has launched the first statewide roll-out of a national campaign aimed at helping reduce serious gastrointestinal complications caused by non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
"The California initiative is exactly the kind of grassroots activity that can and should be duplicated in states throughout the nation to encourage the safe and responsible use of an important class of drugs," said AGA President Donald O. Castell, MD, Kimbel Professor and chair of the department of Medicine at Allegheny University Hospitals, Graduate.
The American Gastroenterological Association is a sponsor of the national REDUCE (Risk Education to Decrease Ulcer Complications and their Effects from NSAIDs) campaign together with Searle, a pharmaceutical company specializing in arthritis treatments.
NSAIDs, such as aspirin, naproxen and ibuprofen, are extensively used to relieve pain and inflammation of the more than 40 million Americans with arthritis. They are among the most effective and relied upon arthritis medications in the world. However, NSAID induced GI complications remain one of the most prevalent serious drug side effects -- leading to an estimated 107,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths each year in the United States.
"The benefits of NSAIDs are critically needed by millions of people, particularly those living with chronic pain from diseases like arthritis," said rheumatologist Gurkirpal Singh, MD, clinical assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology at Stanford University School of Medicine. "Unfortunately, NSAIDs are also the leading cause of preventable ulcers in the U.S., especially among the elderly."
Determining the Risk
Dr. Singh developed the new medical screening test being utilized for the first time in California. This new test, called SCORE (Standardized Calculator of Risk for Events), is based on data from the Arthritis, Rheumatism and Aging Medical Information System (ARAMIS), a database of over 36,000 arthritis patients. The test identifies people who are at increased risk of developing NSAID-induced complications and encourages them to consult with a doctor.
"Our experience at Stanford with thousands of arthritis patients and this extensive database has enabled us to develop methods to accurately predict the risk of serious side effects caused by NSAID use," said Dr. Singh.
SCORE consists of six questions concerning risk factors, including age, overall health, development of rheumatoid arthritis, use of oral corticosteroids, history of ulcers or other gastrointestinal (GI) complications, and past stomach upset related to NSAIDs. Each answer is given a score, and the total added score at the end of the screening gives the person's risk level for developing ulcers or other GI complications.
SCORE results, personal risk profiles, and alternative therapies to protect against NSAID-induced ulcers should be discussed with a medical professional before making any medical decisions in response to these materials.
SCORE Beyond California
"We're convinced that every NSAID user would benefit from taking the SCORE test," said Joseph C. Papa, president, U.S. Operations, Searle. "We admire California's initiative, which we are helping to sponsor, and encourage other states to follow its example."
SCORE is easily accessible to any group or individual through a variety of venues sponsored by REDUCE. For example, interactive Ulcer Risk Screening services and information are available via the toll-free number 1-888-REDUCE1 (1-888-733-8231). Callers are able to speak live with a trained operator who will take them through the SCORE test. Individuals also can access SCORE on the Internet at http://www.seniors.org, the website of the Congress of California Seniors. Click here for S.C.O.R.E. Screening Test
AGA
Founded in 1897, the American Gastroenterological Association is one of the oldest medical specialty societies in the United States. Its members are physicians and scientists whose practice and research involves the functioning and disorders of the gastrointestinal system.
The AGA fosters the development of knowledge of digestive functions and diseases and the improvement of care for patients who suffer from digestive disorders. For more information about the AGA, visit About AGA, the organization's website: http://www.gastro.org.
About Searle
Searle, the pharmaceutical sector of Monsanto Company, is a research-based company that develops, manufactures and markets prescription pharmaceuticals worldwide. Based in Skokie, Illinois, it is the world's third-largest marketer of arthritis treatments. For more information on Searle, visit the company's website: http://www.searlehealthnet.com.
SOURCE Searle: CONTACT: Elaine Metcalf, 212-591-9774, or Erika Cosentino, 212-591-9816, both of Brown, Powers & Associates, for AGA and Searle, November 18, 1998
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