Peptic Ulcer Disease and Gastrointestinal Bleeding: What You Need to Know

Peptic Ulcer Disease and Gastrointestinal Bleeding: What You Need to Know

Peptic Ulcer Disease:

• Distinguishing Gastric and Duodenal Ulcers:

• Pain Duration:

• Gastric: Pain immediately after eating, pain when hungry, poor response to antacids.

• Duodenal: Pain at night, pain 2-3 hours after meals, weight gain.

• Antacid Response: Gastric ulcers respond poorly, duodenal ulcers respond well.

• NSAID, AINS, Aspirin-Induced Ulcers: Usually acute, multiple ulcers.

• Common Symptoms of Peptic Ulcer Disease:

• Epigastric pain.

• Gastric pain: Poor response to medication, pain immediately after eating, weight loss.

• Duodenal pain: Pain at night, pain 2-3 hours after meals, weight gain.

Diagnosis:

• Most Valuable Tests: Endoscopy, H. pylori test.

• Differential Diagnosis: Chronic pancreatitis, acute chronic gastritis, gastric cancer.

Common Complications:

• Upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

• Perforation of the ulcer causing peritonitis.

• Gastric cancer, often at the lesser curvature, prepylorus, pylorus, pyloric stenosis.

Treatment:

• Common H2 Blockers: Ranitidine.

• Most Effective Group of Drugs: PPIs (Prazol).

• Drugs that Reduce Bacteria Density in the Stomach: Bismuth.

• Acid Neutralizing Drugs (antacids): Take 2-3 hours after meals and before bed.

• H2 Blockers and PPIs: Take 1 hour before meals.

• Treating H. pylori Ulcers: Use two antibiotics due to high single-drug resistance, PPIs are used concurrently to increase drug availability.

• NSAID-Induced Ulcers: PPIs.

• Stress Ulcers: PPIs and H2 blockers.

Note:

• This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.