Doctors' Groups Collaborate on Care for Heart Patients

"The recommendations will help physicians evaluate the risk profile for each patient and either change medications or provide appropriate therapies to help reduce GI complications," Dr. Elliott Antman, a member of the writing group and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in the same news release.

"We must be more proactive in assessing individual patient risk to be able to prevent gastrointestinal problems as antiplatelet therapy is actually initiated," Dr. David A. Johnson, immediate past president of the American College of Gastroenterology, said in the same news release. "Communication among cardiologists, gastroenterologists and primary care physicians is critical. At the same time, patients must tell their doctors about any and all medications they are taking -- prescription and over-the-counter medicines -- so appropriate measures can be taken to reduce risk."

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As more Americans survive and live with heart disease, in addition to conditions such as arthritis and related musculoskeletal pain that require them to take NSAIDs, managing gastrointestinal risk will become an increasingly important part of cardiovascular care, the doctors said.

More information

The American Heart Association has more about lowering your risk of heart disease.