Peptic Ulcer

Peptic ulcer

      It designates a "hole", a defect in the duodenal mucosa. Duodenal ulcer is a chronic and relapsing disease. Duodenal ulcer is three times more common than gastric ulcer. There are about five times more men than women affected and the disease generally appears between 30 and 45 years.

Peptic ulcer causes

      The infestation with Helicobacter pylori is found very often (90% of cases) in duodenal ulcer and a little less in the gastric ulcer (70% of cases). Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped bacterium that lives in the gastric mucus. The diagnosis of infection is made by biopsy.

      In the absence of Helicobacter pylori other risk factors are:

• Taking anti-inflammatory drugs;
• Heredity: A familial predisposition is undoubtedly, but the mode of transmission which is complex, remains poorly understood. The subjects of O blood group have an increased risk of 30%.
• The psychosomatic factors. They also play an important role. The role of stress is suggested by the frequency of relapses occurred or by the ulcers in conflict situations (financial problems, family, personal, professional, periods of war ...).
• Alcohol, tobacco, steroids;
• Certain diseases: Crohn's disease, liver cirrhosis, etc..

Peptic ulcer mechanisms

      Peptic ulcer is caused by an imbalance between aggressive factors (acid and pepsin secretion) and factors of mucosal defense (mucus, bicarbonate, blood flow). More specifically, an imbalance between acid secretion (containing hydrochloric acid HCl) of the stomach and the quality of the mucosal barrier. The acidic H + ions are secreted by parietal cells of the stomach. These ions pass into the stomach cavity through a complex biochemical mechanism called proton pump.