Peptic Ulcer

About Peptic Ulcer

Peptic ulcer disease involves sores in the lining of the stomach gastric ulcer or duodenum duodenal ulcer. The most common cause is infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria, responsible for a large share of gastric ulcers and most duodenal ulcers. Barry Marshall and Robin Warren proved the H pylori connection in 1984, with Marshall famously drinking H pylori to induce gastritis, earning them the 2005 Nobel Prize. NSAIDs including aspirin and ibuprofen are the second most common cause. Symptoms include burning stomach pain, bloating, belching, nausea, and feeling of fullness. Complications include bleeding, perforation, and obstruction. Vomiting blood, black tarry stools, or sudden severe abdominal pain can indicate a serious complication and are a medical emergency; call your local emergency number. Diagnosis is made through endoscopy, H pylori testing urea breath test, stool antigen, or blood antibody, and upper GI series. Treatment involves H pylori eradication with a combination of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors triple or quadruple therapy, chosen by a clinician, and reviewing or stopping NSAID use where possible.