[Anti-ulcer therapy after eradication of Helicobacter pylori]

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the cause of the frequent relapse of peptic ulcer disease. Successful eradication therapy of H. pylori is associated with a decline in the recurrence of peptic ulcer. In this paper, we discussed the significance of anti-ulcer therapy after H. pylori eradication therapy. In patients with duodenal ulcer, maintenance therapy for preventing ulcer recurrence is not necessary because the rate of ulcer recurrence after eradication therapy is very low. However, in patients with gastric ulcer, the rate of ulcer relapse and reflux esophagitis ranges between 5-10% in the Japanese population even after successful eradication therapy; therefore, maintenance therapy for 1 year may be permissible in patients with gastric ulcer even after successful eradication therapy.