Opalige

This is a chronic recurrent disease, during exacerbations and disturbances of nervous and hormonal digestive system regulation mechanisms, a stomach or duodenal ulcer occurs. Peptic (symptomatic) ulcers should be distinguished from ulcer disease, which occurs due to clear reasons – other body diseases (increased intracranial pressure, irritation of the n. vagus centers, etc.), in cases of stress, medication use (glucocorticoids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, etc.). Stomach and duodenal ulcers are disappearing and recurring ulcers, which are most commonly diagnosed in middle-aged and elderly individuals, although sometimes they occur in younger people. They usually occur when there are no clear factors and, after a few weeks or months, they can heal with or without treatment. Clinically diagnosed ulcer disease affects 2-3% of the population, however, traces of it are found in 6-14% of men and 2-6% of women during autopsies. It has been found that heredity influences the formation of duodenal ulcers, but has little significance for stomach ulcers. In 1983, Australian scientists B. Marshal and R. Warren discovered that the ulcer disease is caused by the bacterium Helycobacter (Campylobacter) pylori. This microorganism causes 95% of duodenal ulcers and at least 75% of stomach ulcers. H. pylori also plays a role in the formation of certain stomach tumors. Complications of ulcer disease can be: 1) bleeding, 2) perforation or penetration into surrounding tissues or organs, 3) obstruction due to edema or scar formation, and 4) ulcer malignancy.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė