Clinically significant gastrointestinal bleeding in critically ill patients with and without stress-ulcer prophylaxis.

Objective: To compare the rates of clinically significant gastrointestinal bleeding and the number of blood units and endoscopies required for gastrointestinal hemorrhage between patients receiving or not receiving stress-ulcer prophylaxis.

Design: Historical observational study comparing two consecutive periods: with (phase 1) and without stress-ulcer prophylaxis (phase 2).

Design And Setting: A 17-bed intensive care unit in a university teaching hospital.