A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease is an
ulcer of an area of the
gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. 80% of ulcers are associated with
Helicobacter pylori, a spiral-shaped bacterium that lives in the acidic environment of the stomach, however only 20% of those cases go to a doctor (for it is not a dangerous case if caught in time and can be treated with surgery). Ulcers can also be caused or worsened by drugs such as
Aspirin and other
NSAIDs. Contrary to general belief, more peptic ulcers arise in the
duodenum (first part of the
small intestine, just after the stomach) than in the
stomach. About 4% of stomach ulcers are caused by a
malignant tumor, so multiple biopsies are needed to make sure. Duodenal ulcers are generally
benign.
See more at Wikipedia.org...
Free Download Now!
