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Peptic Ulcer Disease
An ulcer is defined as a breach in the mucosa of the alimentary tract, which extends through the muscularis mucosae into the submucosa or deeper. Although ulcers may occur anywhere in the alimentary tract, none are as prevalent as the peptic ulcers that occur in the duodenum and stomach. Acute gastric ulcers may also appear under conditions of severe systemic stress.

Peptic ulcers

Peptic ulcers are chronic , most often solitary, lesions that occur in any portion of the gastrointestinal tract exposed to the aggressive action of acid peptic juices. Peptic ulcers are usually solitary lesions less than 4 cm in diameter, located in the following sites, in order of decreasing frequency:

Duodenum, first portion
Stomach, usually antrum
At the gastroesophageal junction, in the setting of gastroesophageal reflux
Within the margins of a gastrojejunostromy
In the duodenum,stomach, or jejunum of patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Within or adjacent to a Meckel diverticulum that contains ectopic gastric mucosa

In the United States, approximately 4 million people have peptic ulcers (duodenal and gasteric), and 350,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Around 100,000 patients are hospitalized yearly , and about 3000 people die each year as a result of peptic ulcer disease. The lifetime likelihood of developing a peptic ulcer is about 10% for American men and 4% for women. Visit for Medical help

Peptic ulcers are remitting , relapsing lesions that are most often diagnosed in middle aged to older aged, but