2. What are the predisposing factors related to peptic ulcers?

What information
do you need from JH?
- Peptic ulcer disease is a common condition in which crater-like sores develop
in the lining of the stomach or small intestine. Not everyone with a peptic ulcer
develops symptoms, but about half of patients experience pain. This pain can
feel like a burning sensation in the abdomen or a sensation of pressure and it
can be mild to extreme. For most individuals, the pain occurs after a meal and
may last minutes to several hours. Some patients with peptic ulcers also
experience nausea, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, and blood in
vomit or stools. Up to ten percent of all individuals experience a peptic ulcer at
some point, although they are most common among men later in life.
- The most common cause of a peptic ulcer is an infection with a bacterium
known as Heliobacter pylori (H. pylori). This is the only known bacteria that can
survive inside the stomach and it thrives in the digestive tract. Over a period of
years, it causes sores or ulcers on the upper area of the small intestine and the
lining of the stomach.