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Peptic ulcer disease Englisch |
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Peptic ulcers occur as gastric ulcer (in the stomach) and as duodenal ulcer (in the duodenum) and are topical defects in the mucous membrane of the stomach or the duodenum. They can happen as a single episode caused by stress of burning, major surgery or intensive care treatment. When talking about peptic ulcer disease, one means a chronic condition, often with remissions, that can be caused by several factors like hypersecretion of acid of the stomach, stress, smoking, abuse of non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs or an helicobacter pylori infection of the stomach. Characteristic symptoms are epigastric pain related to meals, but there are also cases where no pain at all is present and where the ulcers are found only because of their complications like bleeding or perforation. Those complications are characterised by hematemesis (vomiting of blood), dark stool (because of the blood coming from the upper GI-tract) or severe pain. Anaemia is also possible because of iron loss due to bleeding.
The diagnosis can be found through X-ray, but rather through endoscopy where a flexible optic is inserted into the stomach, making it possible to look thoroughly at the mucous membranes and to take biopsies. Endoscopy is the most reliable procedure to exclude gastric carcinomas. Additional tests can measure the acid secretion or find antibodies against helicobacter pylori in the blood.
How is peptic ulcer disease being treated?
On the one hand treatment consists in elimination of so called aggressive factors and means avoiding drugs like corticosteroids, which promote ulcers, avoiding nicotine and pure alcohol, if possible elimination of stress and a diet in form of frequent small meals. Drugs are available for suppression of acid secretion such as Histamine H2 receptor-blockers; substances that protect the mucous membranes exist as well. If helicobacter pylori is present, eradication is done with inhibitors of acid secretion in combination with antibiotics. Surgical treatment is only needed in very rare cases.
Talk to your doctor if you experience any of the symptoms described above, he is able to diagnose your problem and to start the right therapy for you.
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