Gastric Ulcer

Jehieli Villarreal
What is a Gastric Ulcer?

Ulcers are crater-like

sores which form in the
lining of the stomach.

Generally 1/4 inch to 3/4

inch in diameter, but
sometimes 1 to 2 inches in
diameter
 Description of Ulcer

The damage can If a person does not

Too much acid comes first from receive treatment for
and pepsin can some other causes, ulcers, it could lead to
damage the making the stomach a bleeding ulcer (the
lining susceptible to ulcer has eaten into
stomach lining even an ordinary blood vessels and the
and cause level of gastric acid. blood has seeped into
the digestive tract)
ulcers.
 Causes and risk factors of Ulcer
• The primary cause of ulcers is the bacterium
called Helicobacter pylori H. pylori is a spiral-
shaped bacterium found in the stomach.
Unlike other bacterium, H. pylori is able to
twist through the layer of mucous that
protects the stomach cavity and attach to cells
on the surface of the stomach wall, where it
produces urease, an enzyme that generates
ammonia.
 aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil,
Nuprin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Anaprox)

smoking

drinking caffeine

stress

consuming alcohol
 Ulcer Symptom
Nausea Vomiting Tiredness Weakness
Burning Loss of Loss of Blood
pain appetite weight Vomiting
 Medical treatment
• H2-blockers reduce the amount of acid that the
stomach makes. These medicines include cimetidine
(Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid)
and nizatidine (Axid).
• Proton-pump inhibitors modify the stomach's
production of acid by stopping the stomach's acid
pump - the final step of acid secretion. The recently
approved, omeprazole (Prilosec), is 10 times more
powerful in suppressing stomach acid production
than the H2-blockers.
 Surgery

Vagotomy
• involves cutting the vagus nerve that transmits messages
from the brain to the stomach. This interruption reduces
acid secretion.

Antrectomy
• removes the lower part of the stomach (antrum) which
produces a hormone that stimulates the stomach to secrete
digestive juices. This enlarges the opening into the
duodenum and small intestine (pyloris), enabling contents to
pass more freely from the stomach.
 Nutritional treatment
• Foods should be chosen according to physical
reaction as much as nutritional value. If a
particular food causes discomfort, it should
not be eaten. Coffee, alcohol, strong tea, and
fried foods are suspected of causing excess
stomach acid.
• Vitamin B complex is nontoxic. It can be taken
in large quantities and cause no after-effects.
Studies show that in patients with low levels
of the vitamin, acid levels are elevated. Similar
problems occur with vitamin C deficiencies.
Foods rich in the B vitamins are found among
grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. The C
vitamins are abundant in green vegetables,
citrus fruits, melons, and red peppers.
 Fried foods Cheese Ulcer patients
are especially
Gravy sensitive to
Onions, these foods
Cake and
Pork frequently
Chocolate suffer
indigestion
Red meat after eating
Tea
even small
Lamb Beer portions.