Doctor in gastroenterology

Gastric and duodenal ulcers

Definition

Peptic ulcer disease is a chronic condition characterized by spontaneous attacks followed by healing phases. It is caused by the presence of acid and is almost always the result of a gastric infection by Helicobacter pylori.

Taking aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs can cause multiple iatrogenic ulcers that often remain superficial.

Epidemiological data

This condition has a prevalence of about 10% and 3 new cases per 1 inhabitants appear each year. A family history is present in 000% of cases.

Duodenal ulcer is 3-5 times more common than gastric ulcer. A double localization (gastric and duodenal), simultaneously or not, occurs in 10 to 20% of cases.

This condition is not very common before 40 years of age, it grows after that, with a peak between 55 and 65 years of age. It affects both men and women equally..

Symptoms

The symptoms of gastric and duodenal ulcers are more or less the same:
pain in the epigastric and hypochondrium;

• dorsal irradiation;
• anorexia;
• weight loss;
• nausea:
• vomiting;
• heartburn (a burning sensation extending from the epigastrium to the throat, often accompanied by the discharge of acidic liquid);
• bloating;
• belching.