Gastrointestinal Conditions: Peptic Ulcer Disease

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) affects 5-10% globally, characterized by stomach or duodenal mucosal ulcers.
• Key causes include Helicobacter pylori infection and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use.
• PUD rates have declined due to improved H. pylori management, conservative NSAID use, and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) prevalence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of peptic ulcer disease.
• To highlight advancements in PUD treatment, including novel therapies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of PUD epidemiology, etiology, and clinical presentation.
• Analysis of diagnostic strategies, including endoscopy and noninvasive testing.
• Evaluation of current and emerging treatment regimens for PUD.

Main Results:

• Common PUD symptoms like abdominal pain and nausea overlap with other conditions, complicating diagnosis.
• Endoscopy is the gold standard for diagnosis, particularly in older patients or those with alarm symptoms.
• A new triple therapy using vonoprazan and antibiotics demonstrates superiority over conventional PPI-based treatments for PUD.

Conclusions:

• Effective management of H. pylori and NSAIDs has reduced PUD incidence.
• Accurate diagnosis relies on clinical suspicion, endoscopy, or test-and-treat strategies.
• Vonoprazan-based triple therapy represents a significant advancement in PUD treatment efficacy.