Re: B.) H. pylori and Peptic Ulcer.....for Jean

From: Jean Long (creative@enter.net)
Tue Nov 27 18:04:26 2001


Thanks, Helen D.

JEAN

"OLD" IS WHEN..... Your sweetie says, "Let's go upstairs and make love," and you answer, "Pick one, I can't do both!"

-----Original Message----- From: adhesions@adhesions.org [mailto:adhesions@adhesions.org]On Behalf Of Helen Dynda Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2001 4:56 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS Subject: B.) H. pylori and Peptic Ulcer.....for Jean

B.) H. pylori and Peptic Ulcer

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/digest/pubs/hpylori/hpylori.htm

7.) How Are H. pylori Peptic Ulcers Treated?

H. pylori peptic ulcers are treated with drugs that kill the bacteria, reduce stomach acid, and protect the stomach lining. Antibiotics are used to kill the bacteria. Two types of acid-suppressing drugs might be used: H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors.

H2 blockers work by blocking histamine, which stimulates acid secretion. They help reduce ulcer pain after a few weeks. Proton pump inhibitors suppress acid production by halting the mechanism that pumps the acid into the stomach. H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors have been prescribed alone for years as treatments for ulcers. But used alone, these drugs do not eradicate H. pylori and therefore do not cure H. pylori-related ulcers. Bismuth subsalicylate, a component of Pepto-Bismol, is used to protect the stomach lining from acid. It also kills H. pylori.

Treatment usually involves a combination of antibiotics, acid suppressors, and stomach protectors. Antibiotic regimens recommended for patients may differ across regions of the world because different areas have begun to show resistance to particular antibiotics.

The use of only one medication to treat H. pylori is not recommended. At this time, the most proven effective treatment is a 2-week course of treatment called triple therapy. It involves taking two antibiotics to kill the bacteria and either an acid suppressor or stomach-lining shield. Two-week triple therapy reduces ulcer symptoms, kills the bacteria, and prevents ulcer recurrence in more than 90 percent of patients.

Unfortunately, patients may find triple therapy complicated because it involves taking as many as 20 pills a day. Also, the antibiotics used in triple therapy may cause mild side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dark stools, metallic taste in the mouth, dizziness, headache, and yeast infections in women. (Most side effects can be treated with medication withdrawal.) Nevertheless, recent studies show that 2 weeks of triple therapy is ideal.

Early results of studies in other countries suggest that 1 week of triple therapy may be as effective as the 2-week therapy, with fewer side effects.

Another option is 2 weeks of dual therapy. Dual therapy involves two drugs: an antibiotic and an acid suppressor. It is not as effective as triple therapy.

Two weeks of quadruple therapy, which uses two antibiotics, an acid suppressor, and a stomach-lining shield, looks promising in research studies. It is also called bismuth triple therapy.

8.) Drugs Used To Treat H. pylori Peptic Ulcers Antibiotics: metronidazole, tetracycline, clarithromycin, amoxicillin

H2 blockers: cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine, nizatidine

Proton pump inhibitors: omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole

Stomach-lining protector: bismuth subsalicylate

9.) Can H. pylori Infection Be Prevented?

No one knows for sure how H. pylori spreads, so prevention is difficult. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine to prevent infection.

10.) Why Don't All Doctors Automatically Check for H. pylori?

Changing medical belief and practice takes time. For nearly 100 years, scientists and doctors thought that ulcers were caused by stress, spicy food, and alcohol. Treatment involved bed rest and a bland diet. Later, researchers added stomach acid to the list of causes and began treating ulcers with antacids.

Since H. pylori was discovered in 1982, studies conducted around the world have shown that using antibiotics to destroy H. pylori cures peptic ulcers. The prevalence of H. pylori ulcers is changing. The infection is becoming less common in people born in developed countries. The medical community, however, continues to debate H. pylori's role in peptic ulcers. If you have a peptic ulcer and have not been tested for H. pylori infection, talk to your doctor.

11.) Points To Remember:

* A peptic ulcer is a sore in the lining of the stomach or duodenum.

* The majority of peptic ulcers are caused by the H. pylori bacterium. Many of the other cases are caused by NSAIDs. None are caused by spicy food or stress.

* H. pylori can be transmitted from person to person through close contact and exposure to vomit.

* Always wash your hands after using the bathroom and before eating.

* A combination of antibiotics and other drugs is the most effective treatment for H. pylori peptic ulcers.


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