Note to patients with peptic ulcer disease

Written by Doctor Pham Thi Thu Huong - Head of Department of Gastroenterology - Endoscopy at Vinmec Times City International Hospital.

Peptic ulcer disease is a mucosal injury caused by many characteristic causes of the injury, which is mucosal edema, congestive edema accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration.
1. What is peptic ulcer? Peptic ulcer disease is a mucosal injury caused by many characteristic causes of the injury, which is mucosal edema, congestive edema accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration. Ulcers occur when lesions penetrate deep through the mucosa to the submucosa, sometimes deep into the muscular layer, which can cause gastrointestinal perforation or gastrointestinal bleeding.
2. What are the symptoms and dangerous complications of peptic ulcer disease? A small number of people have ulcers but no symptoms. Typical symptoms of ulcers are as follows: Epigastric pain: Constant pain in the epigastrium with burning nature, increased pain or pain when fasting (typical of duodenal ulcers) accompanied by nausea, belching Acidity, feeling of fullness and slow digestion also often occurs. If you have symptoms like the above, you need to go to a medical facility immediately because stomach ulcers can cause dangerous complications such as gastrointestinal bleeding, perforation of the stomach and duodenum, if left untreated for a long time. can lead to stomach cancer.

Ulcers occur when damage is deep through the mucosa to the submucosa, sometimes deep into the muscular layer, which can cause gastrointestinal perforation or gastrointestinal bleeding.
3. What is the cause of stomach ulcers? Due to many causes:
The most common cause is HP bacteria (Helicobacter Pylori - 70-80%) if peptic ulcer is caused by HP, it should be eliminated according to the protocol because if left for a long time, it will lead to inflammation. Chronic stomach ulcers and can cause stomach cancer. The next cause is due to drugs: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as: Aspirin, Ibuprofen, etc. Because of this, the above drugs should not be used in patients with active stomach ulcers or under the supervision of a specialist. Less common causes: Due to a diet high in alcohol, due to nerves (Stress), due to metabolic and endocrine disorders. 4. How to diagnose peptic ulcer disease? Doctors will base on clinical symptoms such as epigastric pain, heartburn, etc.. medical history and laboratory tests, X-ray of the stomach and duodenum, gastroduodenal endoscopy as tools to diagnose ulcers. The best gastrointestinal tract.
5. Treatment of disease Living diet: To date, following a diet of soft, unseasoned, fruit-rich foods has not been helpful in ulcer healing, nor has it been A diet of milk and ice cream did not make the ulcer worse. Therefore, it is best for patients to avoid foods that cause more pain or worsen digestive disorders, and patients should abstain from coffee, tobacco and alcohol. Do not take NSADs pain relievers. Drugs: Treatment to kill HP (If ulcers are caused by HP), usually take antibiotics in combination with drugs that inhibit gastric acid secretion for 1-2 weeks, in addition, you can add drugs to increase mucus secretion (Mucosta). ), mucosal coating drug (Gastropulgite), the treatment should follow the instructions of the treating doctor. If the ulcer is drug-induced, discontinuation or switching to another drug is a mandatory requirement. 6. Prevention of peptic ulcer disease To prevent effectively, limit alcohol consumption, do not smoke, avoid mental stress, take medicine as directed by your doctor. Detecting HP bacteria: there are many methods such as: breathing test (UB test), serology test, urease test, histopathology, culture, etc... Indication to kill HP will be appointed by a specialist doctor and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment, you absolutely should not buy drugs for treatment, this may increase drug resistance of HP. To prevent the transmission of HP bacteria from one person to another, do not share dishes, utensils must be washed and dried.