PPIs Used Too Long
CHICAGO - How VA patients are treated, or potentially overtreated, for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is coming under greater scrutiny.

HOUSTON - The prevalence of Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) increased twofold to threefold among VA users between 1998 and 2009, although the incidence of the disease, known collectively as inflammatory bowel disease, has either decreased or remained stable during that time period.

KANSAS CITY, MO - Obesity is no barrier to effectiveness for proton pump inhibitors (PPI) in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), according to a VA database study.

DURHAM, NC - Gastroenterologists often urge repeat colonoscopy for colonic polyp surveillance more frequently than recommended by the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force Colorectal Cancer and the American Cancer Society guidelines, according to a recent VA study warning that “overuse of colonoscopy for polyp surveillance poses a significant economic burden, may contribute to decreased colonoscopy capacity for initial screening, and increases the risk of complications.”1