Who is affected by peptic ulcer disease

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Who is affected by peptic ulcer disease

Each year less than 1% of Americans develop peptic ulcers.¹ Ulcers can occur at any age, but they are rare in children; children who do have ulcers are more likely to have duodenal, rather than gastric, ulcers.

Peptic ulcer disease tends to occur in people who are also infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria or who use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

• About 10% to 20% of people who are infected with H. pylori develop peptic ulcer disease.²
• About 15% to 20% of people who use high doses of NSAIDs, such as people who have rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, develop sores in the stomach that look like ulcers when examined with endoscopy. However, only a small number actually develop peptic ulcer disease or complications, such as bleeding and perforation.³

References

Citations

1. Spechler SJ (2002). Peptic ulcer disease and its complications. In M Feldman et al., eds., Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 7th ed., vol. 1, pp. 747–780. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders.

2. Feldman M (2004). Peptic ulcer diseases. In DC Dale, DD Federman, eds., ACP Medicine, section 4, chap. 2. New York: WebMD.

3. Lanza FL, et al. (1998). A guideline for the treatment and prevention of NSAID-induced ulcers. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 93(11): 2037–2046.

Credits

Last updated:	January 12, 2006
Author:	Ralph Poore
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Andrew H. Soll, MD - Gastroenterology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Terrina Vail