11/04/2025
PEPTIC ULCER DISEASE
INTRODUCTION
PEPTIC ULCERS are open sores that develop on the inside lining of the esophagus, stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine. The most common symptom of a peptic ulcer is abdominal pain.
PEPTIC ULCERS INCLUDE:
1. GASTRIC ULCERS that occur on the inside of the stomach.
2. ESOPHAGEAL ULCERS that occur inside the hollow tube (esophagus) that carries food from your throat to the stomach.
DUODENAL ULCERS that occur on the inside of the upper portion of the small intestine (duodenum).
CAUSES OF PUD
PEPTIC ULCERS occur when acid in the digestive tract eats away at the inner surface of the esophagus, stomach or small intestine. The acid can create a painful open sore that may bleed.
The digestive tract is coated with a mucous layer that normally protects against acid. But if the amount of acid is increased or the amount of mucus is decreased, you could develop an ulcer.
COMMON CAUSES include:
👉A BACTERIUM. Helicobacter pylori bacteria
* 👉Regular use of certain pain relievers
* 👉Contaminated food and water
MODE OF TRANSMISSION OF PUD
*. H. pylori is contagious and is most likely primarily transmitted through person-to-person contact.
(such as eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, or swimming in contaminated bodies of water) or oral/oral exposure (such as kissing or sharing toothbrushes).
H. pylori infection can be spread through kissing, oral s*x, and contaminated food or drinking water.
SIGN AND SYMPTOMS OF PUD
👉The vomiting of blood — which may appear red or black
👉Dark blood in stools or stools that are black or tarry
👉Nausea or vomiting
👉Unexplained weight loss
👉Appetite changes
👉Epigastric pain
👉HEARTBURN
👉Upper abdominal pain
RISK FACTORS OF PUD
1. SMOKE. Smoking may increase the risk of peptic ulcers in people who are infected with H. pylori.
2. DRINK ALCOHOL. Alcohol can irritate and erode the mucous lining of the stomach, and it increases the amount of stomach acid that's produced.
3. Regular use of aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
COMPLICATIONS OF PUD
* Internal bleeding
* INFECTION. Peptic ulcers can eat a hole through the wall of the stomach or small intestine, putting the at risk of serious infection of the abdominal cavity (peritonitis).
* SCAR TISSUE. Peptic ulcers can also produce scar tissue that can block passage of food through the digestive tract, causing you to become full easily, to vomit and to lose weight
* Pe*******on
* Perforation
* gastric outlet instruction
*
TESTS AND DIAGNOSIS
In order to detect an ulcer, you may have to undergo diagnostic tests, such as:
Tests for H. pylori
The doctor may recommend tests to determine whether the bacterium H. pylori is present in your body. Tests can test for H. pylori using your:
Blood
Stool
TREATMENTS AND DRUGS OF PUD.
TREATMENT for peptic ulcers depends on the cause. Treatments can include:
ANTIBIOTICS medications to kill H. pylori. If H. pylori is found in the digestive tract, your doctor may recommend a combination of antibiotics to kill the bacterium. You'll likely need to take antibiotics for two weeks, as well as additional medications to reduce stomach acid.
Metronidazole
Or
Amoxicillin
Or
Clarithromycin
Medications that block acid production and promote healing.
Proton pump inhibitors reduce stomach acid by blocking the action of the parts of cells that produce acid.
THESE drugs include the prescription and over-the-counter medications omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, esomeprazole and pantoprazole
MEDICATIONs to reduce acid production. Acid blockers — also called histamine (H-2) blockers — reduce the amount of stomach acid released into your digestive tract, which relieves ulcer pain and encourages healing.
Available by prescription or over-the-counter, acid blockers include the medications ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid), cimetidine (Tagamet) and nizatidine (Axid).
MEDICATIONs that protect the lining of your stomach and small intestine.
In some cases, the doctor may prescribe medications called cytoprotective agents that help protect the tissues that line your stomach and small intestine.
Options include the prescription medications sucralfate (Carafate) and misoprostol (Cytotec). Another nonprescription cytoprotective agent is bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).
PREVENTION OF PUD
* Protect yourself from infections
* Use caution with pain relievers
* Avoid alcohol.
* Protect yourself from infections by washing hands regularly and consuming foods that have been cooked thoroughly.
