Guidelines in the medical treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection

Scientific evidence based on controlled clinical research confirm substantial benefits resulting from the eradication of H. pylori infection in such pathologies of the alimentary tract as: gastric peptic and duodenal ulcer (active or confirmed in the future and ulcer disease complications), MALT (Mucosa Associated Limphoid Tissue) lymphoma, atrophic gastritis, past stomach resection, gastric cancer in the family. The above group of indications is strongly recommended for eradicative treatment. During the last several years there have been many guidelines made by international and national specialist groups. "Test and treat" strategy of undiagnosed dyspepsia treatment is based on possibility to carry out non-invasive tests confirming H. pylori infection. First symptoms of dyspepsia in people over 45 years of age constitute recommendation for endoscopy, as well as symptoms assumed to be "alarming" (loss of weight, anaemia, bloody vomiting, tarry stool, dysphagia) regardless of patient age. An individual approach to eradication is proposed in gastroesophageal reflux disease, and use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs. Antibacterial activity towards H. pylori is shown by many antibiotics (amoxicillin, macrolides, tetracyclines) and some other chemotherapeutic agents (nitroimidazoles) and bismuth. PPIs are recommended, because through increase of pH in stomach they create conditions to act for antibiotics. During the stage of first line triple therapy, it is advised to apply PPI and two antibacterial medicines at the same time (PPI + amoxicillin+metronidazole or clarithromycin). Such therapeutic action ensures achievement of eradication of H. pylori infection in 80-90% of cases. In case of lack of treatment efficiency in the first-line therapy, 7-14 day treatment may be repeated using triple therapies (PPI + 2 antibiotics) substituting the antibiotic with the metronidazole or tetracycline, or quadruple therapies (PPI + bismuth citrate + 2 antibiotics). Side effects during eradicative treatments occur quite rarely (from 15 to 30%).