Overview

Gastric ulcers are a frequent clinical presentation in the United States, and they frequently result in the expenditure of millions of dollars on healthcare. They are larger than 5 mm in diameter and are a break in the mucosal barrier of the stomach lining that penetrates through the muscularis mucosa.

It is critical to recognize that this illness process is both preventable and treated. Depending on the cause of the gastric ulcer, patients may be treated differently. The stomach mucosa is naturally protected by the body from the hazardous acidic environment of the gastric lumen. When these defenses are compromised, it can cause changes in the stomach mucosa, which can lead to erosion and finally ulceration.

Prostaglandins, mucus, growth factors, and proper blood supply protect the gastric mucosa. Smoking, hydrochloric acid, ischemia, NSAID drugs, hypoxia, alcohol, and Helicobacter pylori infection are all known to be harmful to this barrier.