Download Peptic Ulcer - Red Hook Central Schools

Peptic Ulcer
Devin Scott, Kensei Suzuki, Isabelle
Legare
Symptoms of a Peptic Ulcer
• A burning, aching, or gnawing pain between
the belly button and the breastbone. Some
people also have back pain. The pain can last
from a few minutes to a few hours and may
come and go for weeks.
• Loss of appetite and weight loss.
• Bloating or nausea after eating.
• Vomiting.
Causes of a Peptic Ulcer
• Overuse of over the counter painkillersaspirin, ibuprofen, and advil.
• Alcohol
• Psychological stress
• Smoking
• Helicobacter pylori
What happens-Pathology
• The Helicobacter pylori causes an infection, and
has the ability to survive in the acidic stomach
environment and the small intestine because it
produces enzyme’s that neutralize stomach acid.
• The bacteria moves through the mucous
membrane, and survives in the lining of the
stomach creating complications.
• Pepsin and hydrochloric acid are then responsible
for leaking through the broken-down membrane
and causing pain/inflammation.
Treatment of a Peptic Ulcer
• Antibiotic medications to kill Helicobacter
pylori, often taken for two weeks.
• Medications that block acid production and
promote healing of the affected area.
• Medications to reduce acid production or
antacids that neutralize stomach acid.
Statistics/Interesting Facts of Peptic
Ulcers
• One test to find out if you have a peptic ulcer
is a esophagogastroduodenoscopy.
• 1 in 54 or 1.84% or 5 million people in the USA
are affected by this.
• There’s a test that calls for an individual to eat
or drink radioactive carbon, and later if you
blow into a bag the H. pylori bacteria will be
present.