Duodenal Ulcer Prophylaxis

Duodenal Ulcer General Information

Excessive stress, the consumption of highly amounts of spicy aliments, combined with other factors, may determine the developing of an ulcer, or at least that’s the way physicians used to think. The truth is that Duodenal Ulcers are open wounds that are located on the inside lining of the patient’s duodenal area (a part of the organism’s upper small intestine). The most common clinical manifestation that is associated with the presence of this medical disorder is pain, which can range from mild to severe, as it depends on the stage of the patient’s condition (the severity of the disease). Other symptoms of this medical disorder include: bloody vomit, nausea, weight loss, chest pain, tarry stools, black stools, and so on.

Although people used to think that a patient’s ulcerous disorder is caused by his or her past lifestyle, nowadays doctors have found out that therapies with certain medicines, the presence of some bacterial infections, and so on, are the true causes of most cases of Duodenal Ulcers. Such medical conditions are quite common, as millions of patients from all over the world have been diagnosed with this type of peptic ulcer. The good news is that with an adequate therapy, the patient should completely recover in a matter of weeks.

Duodenal Ulcer Prophylaxis

One cannot understand the steps of the average Duodenal Ulcer Prophylaxis without first becoming acquainted with the most common causes of this medical disorder. Most cases of ulcers of the duodenum are known to be triggered by a bacterial infection with a pathogen called Helicobacter pylori (commonly abbreviated as H. pylori). This bacterium is known to live and multiply in the patient’s mucous layer (which is supposed to protect the lining of the small intestine). In some cases, the presence of H. pylori does not trigger any inconveniences. However, it may disrupt the functions of the patient’s intestinal mucous layer, leading to the development of an ulcerous lesion. Some physicians say that individuals who already present damage to the mucous layer of the duodenum present a higher risk of developing an ulcer of the duodenum, as it is much easier for the bacterium to invade the tissues, causing painful inflammation.

Studies have shown that prolonged therapies with NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are known to generally cause irritation of the intestinal lining. The same for most types of pain relievers. Among the most common NSAIDs are: Orudis, Aleve, Motrin, Advil, and so on. Smoking is a factor that can significantly increase the patient’s risk of developing ulcerative lesions on the entire gastro-intestinal system (including the duodenum). This is due to nicotine (one of tobacco’s main ingredients) which is known to generally increase the concentration and volume of the stomach acid, which gradually erodes the mucous that surrounds the gastro-intestinal tract. Furthermore, smoking can also slow down the healing process of your lesions. For this reason, most Duodenal Ulcer Prophylaxis guide-books recommend all individuals to quit smoking.

The consumption of excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages is also an important risk factor, as alcohol is able to erode and irritate the mucous lining that surrounds the patient’s stomach, increasing the individual’s chances of developing this ulcerous medical disorder. Daily stress should also be avoided.

Duodenal Ulcer Treatment