Peptic ulcer disease
- Peptic ulcer: a defect in the gastric or duodenal mucosa with a diameter of at least 0.5 cm and a depth that penetrates through the muscularis mucosae
- Gastric ulcer: a peptic ulcer of the gastric mucosa, typically located along the lesser curvature in the transitional portion between the corpus and antrum
- Duodenal ulcer: a peptic ulcer of the duodenal mucosa, usually located on the anterior or posterior wall of the duodenal bulb
Epidemiology
- Incidence: ∼ 1 case/1,000 person-years [2]
- Prevalence
- ∼ 6 million cases annually in the US [3]
- The prevalence of PUD is decreasing (see “Etiology”). [4]
- Duodenal ulcers occur on average 10–20 years earlier than gastric ulcers. [5]
- Age: The median age of diagnosis is 18–30 years.
- Sex: ♂ = ♀
Etiology
- Helicobacter pylori infection
- Associated with 40–70% of duodenal ulcers and 25–50% of gastric ulcers [6][7]
- The rate of H. pylori infection (and, therefore, the development of PUD) is decreasing. [8]
- Chronic NSAID use
- Associated with a fourfold risk of developing PUD [9]
- Increases the risk for complications of PUD
- Acid hypersecretory states
- Non-NSAID medications
- Infections
- Others
- Radiation
- Illicit drug use (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamine)
- Systemic inflammatory diseases (e.g., Crohn disease, sarcoidosis)
- Mechanical (e.g., foreign body, GI tract obstruction, postsurgical anatomy)
Clinical features
- PUD may be asymptomatic or manifest with a variety of clinical features, e.g., general dyspepsia or complications such as perforation or bleeding.
Asymptomatic PUD
- Up to 70% of patients with peptic ulcers do not experience symptoms. [14][15]
- Patients who take NSAIDs are more likely to have asymptomatic ulcers and present with complications of PUD.
Symptomatic PUD
- Abdominal pain
- The most common symptom of PUD [16]
- Commonly located in the epigastrium
- Often described as “gnawing” or “burning”
- Can be related to meal intake depending on the location of the ulcer (see “Clinical symptoms of gastric and duodenal ulcers”)
- Other associated symptoms
- Belching
- Indigestion
- Gastrointestinal reflux
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Bloating/abdominal fullness
- Gastric ulcer is associated with pain after light (weight loss) Gorging. Duodenal ulcer is associated with relief after massive (weight gain) Desserts.
Diagnostics
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDH.- pylori test
Treatment
- Acid suppression medications and antacids
- Cytoprotective agents
- Antibiotics
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