Peptic ulcer disease & gastritis (GI) Flashcards
Define PUD.
A break in the mucosal lining of the stomach or duodenum more than 5mm in diameter, with depth to the submucosa
Ulceration of areas of the GI tract due to exposure to gastric acid and pepsin
What name is given instead of PUD if the ulcer is smaller than 5mm/without obvious depth to the submucosa?
Erosions
Define gastritis.
Histological presence of gastric mucosal inflammation
Where do peptic ulcers occur?
Most commonly gastric and duodenal (duodenal more common)
What demographic do peptic ulcers happen to? (3)
- M=F
- duodenal ulcers: <30y
- gastric ulcers: 50y
If untreated, what can gastritis progress to?
Peptic ulcer disease
Why do peptic ulcers arise?
Imbalance between:
1. factors promoting mucosal damage - gastric acid, pepsin, H. pylori infection, NSAID use
2. mechanisms promoting gastroduodenal defence - prostaglandins, mucus, HCO3-, mucosal blood flow, tight junctions, restitution
What is the difference in pathophysiology between duodenal and gastric ulcers?
- duodenal - hypersecretion of gastric acid related to H. pylori infection
- gastric - normal/low secretion of gastric acid
What are the most common causes of gastritis and PUD? (2)
- H. pylori
- NSAID use
How does NSAID use cause PUD?
- direct damage: traps H+ ions
- indirect damage: inhibition of COX-1
- increase bleeding risk through antiplatelet actions
What are the rarer causes of PUD? (5)
- gastric ischaemia
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (gastrin-secreting NET)
- medication (KCl, bisphosphonates)
- sarcoidosis
- TB
What are the types of gastritis? (4)
- acute non-erosive gastritis (most commonly due to H. pylori)
- chronic H. pylori infection in antrum predisposes to atrophic and autoimmune gastritis
- acute erosive gastritis (commonly caused by chronic NSAID use, alcohol use) - decreased gastric mucosal blood flow with loss of mucosal protective barrier
- autoimmune-mediated atrophic gastritis (antibodies to GPC)
- phlegmonous gastritis
What are the clinical features of PUD? (8)
- gnawing epigastric pain:
- gastric ulcer - pain directly after meals (may lead to weight loss)
- duodenal ulcer - pain couple hours after eating (pain may be relieved by eating –> weight gain) + radiates to BACK (due to penetration of ulcer into pancreas)
- epigastric tenderness
- ‘pointing sign’ - patients can indicate where pain is with one finger alone
- nausea relieved by eating
- vomiting after eating
- early satiety - may indicate pyloric stenosis
- GI bleeding –> anaemia
- occult - stool haem test +ve
- overt - haematemesis or melaena
- diarrhoea (if ZES)
Describe the pain in a gastric ulcer.
Pain directly after meals (may lead to weight loss)
Describe the pain in a duodenal ulcer.
Pain a couple hours after eating/before meals/at night (pain may be relived by eating so may lead to weight gain)
Describe how a perforated ulcer may present.
Acutely unwell + haemodynamically unstable
What might you find on examination in PUD? (2)
- hypotension or septic shock - from GI bleed or perforated ulcer
- succussion splash - may be heard in pyloric stenosis, due to gastric outlet obstruction
What are the clinical features of gastritis? (4)
- dyspepsia / epigastric discomfort
- nausea / vomiting
- loss of appetite (–> weight loss)
- no red flags for cancer (GI bleeding, anaemia, early satiety, unexplained weight loss>10%, progressive dysphagia, odynophagia, persistent vomiting)
What features may indicate phlegmonous gastritis?
Severe vomiting, acute abdominal pain, fever
What might indicate autoimmune gastritis?
Co-existing autoimmune disease