Peptic ulcer disease.
OBJECTIVE
This review reports and attempts to place in some context current key observations in the literature, as they relate to peptic ulcer disease.


RESULTS
Focus areas in this review are general, the usefulness of symptom-based triage in management decision making and critical review of current practice as it relates to foregut malignancy; Helicobacter pylori, important observations regarding gastric cancer prevention are presented, the role of the organism in "acid rebound" is discussed, and further evidence to support the role of H. pylori eradication in peptic ulcer disease is provided; medication, a number of studies comparing steady state and onset of action efficacy of current proton pump inhibitors at a gastric pH level are reviewed and a new agent is introduced. Problems with and strategies for the safe use of antithrombotic agents are reviewed, and exciting data with regard to a new class of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug are provided, now at the "proof of concept" stage.


CONCLUSIONS
The review period's main "new" information relates to the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in which a number of exciting agents are being developed. Although inconclusive, the observations with regard to the effect of H. pylori eradication on gastric carcinogenesis is likely to lead to more work in this field.
Louw
Japie A
JA
Gastroenterology Division, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. louwj@hdh.kari.net
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