Helicobacter pylori and gastrointestinal disease.
New paradigms are few and far between. The discovery that peptic ulcer disease is the result of an infection by a previously unrecognized microorganism rather than the consequence of excess secretion of gastric acid aptly qualifies as a paradigm shift. Eradication of Helicobacter pylori from the stomach by antibacterial agents heals ulcers at least as effectively as H2-blockers. Further, eradication of the organism results in long-term cures of peptic ulcers. In contrast, the relapse rate in patients successfully treated with H2-blockers exceeds 50% in the first year after healing. Also of interest is the role of H. pylori in gastric cancer.
Gibaldi
M
M
School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000382:microbiology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists