Is a gastric ulcer in the pyloric region serious?

Written by Wu Hai Wu

Gastroenterology

Updated on October 19, 2024

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Whether gastric ulcers and duodenal bulb ulcers are severe depends on the size of the ulcers and whether there are complications. If there are complications such as perforation and bleeding, it can be very serious. Severe cases may require surgical intervention and could potentially endanger the patient's life. Patients with gastric and duodenal bulb ulcers are likely caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, though it cannot be ruled out that some may be caused by ingestion of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or steroids. Treatment varies depending on the cause. For instance, if it is caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, standardized eradication of Helicobacter pylori is necessary, along with comprehensive treatment to suppress gastric acid secretion and protect the gastric mucosa.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin

Gastroenterology

54sec

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How to care for gastric ulcer bleeding

Gastric ulcer bleeding is a relatively common complication. First, it is important to soothe the patient's emotions, encourage rest, reduce mental stress, and pay attention to significant bleeding, which can cause vomiting of blood. It is necessary to promptly clean the blood stains in the mouth to prevent aspiration, provide timely symptomatic treatment, and choose to use proton pump inhibitors combined with endoscopic hemostasis. Vascular intervention or surgery may be required when necessary. Dietary management should be strengthened, with regular meals, consumption of soft, easily digestible food, and avoidance of hard, cold foods. It is crucial to strictly abstain from smoking and alcohol, and to consume less strong tea, coffee, etc., while actively treating any complications. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Wang Li Wei

Gastroenterology

44sec

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How long should you fast if you have a bleeding gastric ulcer?

Primarily, it depends on whether the bleeding has stopped. If the bleeding has ceased, the patient shows no signs of vomiting blood, and their gastrointestinal symptoms in the abdomen are slightly improving, generally, they can gradually start eating after about two days. If the patient still experiences vomiting of blood, or has black stools, increased frequency of bowel movements, heartburn, or if a gastroscopy confirms that the bleeding vessels from the gastric ulcer are relatively large, the duration of fasting might be comparatively longer. Therefore, the duration of fasting for a gastric ulcer bleed mainly depends on whether there is active bleeding in the patient.

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Written by Wang Hui Jie

Gastroenterology

1min 17sec

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Symptoms of gastric ulcer

The clinical manifestations of stomach ulcers can vary from person to person. Some patients are asymptomatic and present to the clinic due to stomach bleeding or perforation. Generally, there are three main characteristics of peptic ulcers: First, they tend to be a chronic, recurrent condition. Second, they exhibit periodicity. Third, they have rhythmic manifestations. The primary symptom is periodic, rhythmic upper abdominal pain, often described as burning, dull, or bloating pain. This usually occurs in the upper abdomen, possibly on the left or right side, and typically manifests as post-meal pain. Nighttime pain is uncommon, and there may be localized tenderness. If the ulcer occurs in the pyloric canal, it may lack some of these typical symptoms. Post-meal intense pain is possible, and the effectiveness of medication is generally poor. This condition can easily lead to vomiting or pyloric obstruction and is also prone to perforation and bleeding. A minority of stomach ulcers may potentially become cancerous.

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Written by Jiang Guo Ming

Gastroenterology

57sec

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What should I do if there is bleeding from a gastric ulcer?

If there is only a small amount of bleeding in gastric ulcer bleeding, manifested as black stool without any other special discomfort symptoms, this condition can be treated with oral medication in an outpatient setting. The treatment plan is usually determined based on the presence or absence of Helicobacter pylori infection. For those with Helicobacter pylori infection, a quadruple therapy is generally used for eradication treatment. For those without the infection, proton pump inhibitors are the preferred choice, combined with medications that protect the gastric mucosa, and so on. If there is a significant amount of bleeding, with symptoms like vomiting blood, this situation requires timely hospital treatment, usually involving fasting and intravenous fluid therapy. If medical treatment is ineffective, a combined medical and surgical approach may be necessary. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin

Gastroenterology

42sec

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Early symptoms of gastric ulcer

Gastric ulcers refer to ulcerative lesions on the gastric mucosa and are very common in gastroenterology. Typical symptoms include pain in the upper abdomen, often presenting as dull pain or a burning sensation in the early stages. Particularly after eating, pain in the upper abdomen occurs within an hour and gradually eases after two hours. As the condition progresses, complications such as gastric bleeding and gastric perforation may occur. Diagnosis can be confirmed clinically through a barium meal examination and gastroscopy. Currently, with the development of internal medicine drugs, most gastric ulcers can be treated with medication.