[Current facts on ulcer disease]

In the second half of this century, some important changes characterized the peptic ulcer history. The overall incidence of ulcer disease markedly decreased, with some differences in the various geographic areas and according to socioeconomic development of population. Peptic ulcer seems now more frequent in women and in the elderly patients, in comparison with the past. The appearance of H2-Receptor Antagonists determined a decline of ulcer surgery, because the ulcer is become a medical disease. Pyloric stenosis also, after ten years of H2-Receptor Antagonists treatment, markedly decreased. Indeed, the problem of acute complications is still actual. The detailed analysis of patients hospitalized, shows significative decrease of acute complications in patients with chronic ulcer and a marked anamnestics. The efficacy of medical treatment in the control of acute ulcer complications, seems to be balanced with new etiopathogenetic factors, which are able to start the appearance of acute complications of the disease (increased assumption of ulcerogenic drugs; smoke and alcohol abuse; increased socio-politic engagement of women and improved resuscitations technics).