Peptic Ulcer

Introduction: Peptic Ulcer

Peptic ulcers are an inflammation of the stomach or duodenal lining. Once believed to be caused by spicy food and stress, these have been found merely to be aggravating factors, and the real causes have been found by research to include bacterial infection (H pylori) or reaction to various medications, particularly NSAIDs. The identification of H. pylori ulcers has led to a cure for this subtype that was discovered as recently as 1982. Whereas treatment used to involve bedrest and antacids, modern treatment involves killing the H. pylori bacteria or removing the underlying NSAID medication.

Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer

• Abdominal discomfort - this is the primary symptom; usually chronic and ongoing; the discomfort has particular characteristic patterns:
  • Abdominal pain after a meal - usually 2-3 hours later
  • Abdominal pain on empty stomach
  • Abdominal pain relieved by food
  • Abdominal pain relieved by antacids

See full list of 16 symptoms of Peptic Ulcer

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Peptic Ulcer:

• Colon & Rectal Cancer: Home Testing
  • Home Colorectal Cancer Tests
  • Home Fecal Occult Bleeding Tests

Medical Textbooks Online about Peptic Ulcer

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Peptic Ulcer

• Gastroscopy
• Endoscopy
• Upper gastrointestinal (GI) series
• Barium meal x-ray
• Blood H pylori test

See full list of 9 diagnostic tests for Peptic Ulcer

Wrongly Diagnosed with Peptic Ulcer?

• Misdiagnosis of Peptic Ulcer
• Failure to diagnose Peptic Ulcer
• Underlying causes of Peptic Ulcer (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Failure to diagnose Peptic Ulcer

Misdiagnosis and Peptic Ulcer

Chronic digestive conditions often misdiagnosed: When diagnosing chronic symptoms of the digestive tract, there are a variety of conditions that may be misdiagnosed. The best known, irritable bowel syndrome, is over-diagnosed, whereas...read more »

Intestinal bacteria disorder may be hidden cause: One of the lesser known causes of diarrhea is an imbalance of bacterial in the gut, sometimes called ...read more »

Antibiotics often causes diarrhea: The use of antibiotics are very likely to cause some level of diarrhea in patients. The reason is that antibiotics kill off...read more »

Food poisoning may actually be an infectious disease: Many people who come down with "stomach symptoms" like diarrhea assume that it's "something...read more »

Mesenteric adenitis misdiagnosed as appendicitis in children: Because appendicitis is one of the more feared conditions for a child with abdominal pain...read more »

Celiac disease often fails to be diagnosed cause of chronic digestive symptoms: One of the most common chronic digestive conditions is celiac disease, a malabsorption disorder with a variety...read more »

Chronic digestive diseases hard to diagnose: There is an inherent difficulty in diagnosing the various types of chronic digestive diseases. Some of the better known possibilities are ...read more »

Abdominal pain in the elderly: Abdominal pain in the elderly could be due to a wide range of diseases. The most common ones that have to be kept in mind...read more »

Common case of dyspepsia: Dyspepsia is a difficult and vague symptom evaluate and requires careful questioning. The discomfort may sometimes amount to pain and...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Peptic Ulcer

Causes of Peptic Ulcer

• Helicobacter pylori bacteria
• Excess stomach acid
• Stomach cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• GERD - a cause of esophageal ulcers

See full list of 6 causes of Peptic Ulcer

More information about causes of Peptic Ulcer:

• Medications, drugs, or substances causing Peptic Ulcer (302 listings)
• Drug interactions causing Peptic Ulcer (2860 listings)
• Underlying causes of Peptic Ulcer
• Peptic Ulcer as a complication caused by other conditions
• Peptic Ulcer as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Peptic Ulcer

Treatments for Peptic Ulcer

• Treatments for gastrointestinal bleeding:
  • Emergency treatment - if gastrointestinal bleeding from a bleeding ulcer is suspected
  • Blood transfusions
  • See also treatment of anemia - because anemia can result from gastrointestinal bleeding and its blood loss.
• Discontinue causative medications - for NSAIDs and other secondary causes

See full list of 33 treatments for Peptic Ulcer

Videos for Peptic Ulcer

Patient Surveys for Peptic Ulcer

• Patient Profile Survey
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Prognosis for Peptic Ulcer

More about prognosis of Peptic Ulcer

Reseach about Peptic Ulcer

Visit our research pages for current research about Peptic Ulcer treatments.

Clinical Trials for Peptic Ulcer

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Peptic Ulcer include:

• Administration of High-Dose Intravenous Proton Pump Inhibitor for Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Prior to Endoscopy - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Omeprazole
• A Study to Test Two Treatments for Safety and Prevention of Stomach Side Effects in Subjects With Osteoarthritis Taking Low Dose Aspirin. - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Lansoprazole,naproxen,celecoxib
• Study of the Natural History of Non-NSAID, Non-HP Bleeding Peptic Ulcers - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Somatostatin in the Treatment of Acute Severe Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Somatostatin UCB (drug)
• Resolution Endoclips Vs Epinephrine Injection and Heater Probe - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)

See full list of 69 Clinical Trials for Peptic Ulcer

Statistics for Peptic Ulcer

• Medical statistics for Peptic Ulcer
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Peptic Ulcer
• Death and Mortality statistics for Peptic Ulcer
• Society statistics for Peptic Ulcer

Types of Peptic Ulcer

• Duodenal ulcer
• H. pylori peptic ulcers
• NSAID-secondary ulcers
• Esophageal ulcer

Read more about Types of Peptic Ulcer

Medical Guidebooks and Ebooks for Peptic Ulcer

• Icon Health Sourcebook for Peptic Ulcer

See all guides and ebooks for Peptic Ulcer

Stories from Users Related to Peptic Ulcer

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Peptic Ulcer, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Peptic Ulcer

H_ pylori and Peptic Ulcer: NIDDK (Excerpt)

A peptic ulcer is a sore on the lining of the stomach or duodenum, which is the beginning of the small intestine. Peptic ulcers are common: One in 10 Americans develops an ulcer at some time in his or her life. (Source: excerpt from H_ pylori and Peptic Ulcer: NIDDK)

Helicobacter pylori Infections (H. pylori) general: DBMD (Excerpt)

An ulcer is a sore or hole in the lining of the stomach or duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). (Source: excerpt from Helicobacter pylori Infections (H. pylori) general: DBMD)

Definitions of Peptic Ulcer:

Ulceration of the GASTRIC MUCOSA due to contact with GASTRIC JUICE. It is often associated with HELICOBACTER PYLORI infection or consumption of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). - (Source - Diseases Database)

An ulcer of the mucous membrane lining of the alimentary tract - (Source - WordNet 2.1)