People in Western populations have a 1 in 10 lifetime risk of developing peptic ulcer disease. Although recent decades have seen major advances in our knowledge and treatment of peptic ulcers, symptoms and complications from peptic ulcers remain a significant problem for primary and secondary care practitioners. Primary care practitioners have a central role in the prevention, recognition and treatment of peptic ulcers. This article summarizes the causes, presentations, investigation and current treatment of peptic ulcer disease.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BurgetD.W.ChivertonS.G.HuntR.H.Is there an optimal degree of acid suppression for healing of duodenal ulcers? A model of the relationship between ulcer healing and acid suppression. Gastroenterology (1990) 99 (2): p. 345–51.
2.
CalvetX.VergaraM.BrulletE.GisbertJ.P.CampoR.Addition of a second endoscopic treatment following epinephrine injection improves outcome in high-risk bleeding ulcers. Gastroenterology (2004) 126 (2): p. 441–450.
3.
FeldmanM.FriedmanLBrandtL. (eds)Sleisenger and Fordtran's gastrointestinal and liver disease (8th edition2006) Philadelphia, PA; W.B. Saunders ISBN: 1416002456.
4.
HirschowitzB.I.LanasA.Atypical and aggressive upper gastrointestinal ulceration associated with aspirin abuse. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology (2002) 34 (5): p. 523–528.
5.
LamS.K.ChingC.K.LaiK.C.Does treatment of Helicobacter pylori with antibiotics alone heal duodenal ulcer? A randomised double blind placebo controlled study. Gut (1997) 41 (1): p. 43–48.
6.
LauJ.Y.SungJ.J.LeeK.K.Effect of intravenous omeprazole on recurrent bleeding after endoscopic treatment of bleeding peptic ulcers. The New England Journal of Medicine (2000) 34395: p. 310–316.
7.
MalfertheinerP.MegraudF.O'MorainC.Current concepts in the management of Helicobacter pylori infection: The Maastricht III Consensus Report. Gut (2007) 56 (6): p. 772–781.
8.
MarshallB.J.McGechieD.B.RogersP.A.GlancyR.J.Pyloric campylobacter infection and gastroduodenal disease. The Medical Journal of Australia (1985) 142 (8): p. 439–444.
9.
MatonP.N.Omeprazole. The New England Journal of Medicine (1991) 324 (14): p. 965–975.
RockallT.A.LoganR.F.DevlinH.B.NorthfieldT.C.Selection of patients for early discharge or outpatient care after acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. National audit of acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Lancet (1996) 347: p. 1138–1140.
14.
SIGN guideline no. 105. Management of acute upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding (2008) Accessed via www.sign.ac.uk/pdf/sign105.pdf [date last accessed 01.05.2009].
WestbrookJ.I.McIntoshJ.H.DugganJ.M.Accuracy of provisional diagnoses of dyspepsia in patients undergoing first endoscopy. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (2001) 53 (3): p. 283–288.
