Gastric Ulcer

Excerpt

Gastric ulcers are a common clinical presentation in the United States and often lead to the expenditure of millions of healthcare dollars. They are a break in the mucosal barrier of the stomach lining that penetrates through the muscularis mucosa and are greater than 5 mm in diameter. It is important to understand this disease process is both preventable and treatable. Patients may be treated differently depending on the etiology of their gastric ulcer. The body has natural ways to protect the stomach mucosa from the harmful acidic environment that is the gastric lumen. When alterations occur to these defenses, it can lead to changes in the gastric mucosa which will eventually cause erosion and then ulceration. Gastric mucosa protection is via prostaglandins, mucous, growth factors, and adequate blood flow. Known damaging factors of this barrier include smoking, hydrochloric acid, ischemia, NSAID medications, hypoxia, alcohol, and Helicobacter pylori infection.