GI Peptic Ulcer Disease and Treatment

GI Peptic Ulcer Disease and Treatment Institution Date Continuous use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs coupled with activities of Helicobacter pylori are the common causes of peptic ulcer disease. Peptic acid disease (PUD) is responsible for significant healthcare cost and implications that require concerted efforts to treat through proper therapy that is drug based and that aim at the physiological targets of the condition. The following paragraphs examine the difference between histamine-2 receptor antagonists, the proton pump inhibitors, and Antacids as modes of treatment of peptic ulcer disease. Acids in the gastrointestinal tract play a fundamental role in digestion. The human brain sends signals to the stomach lining to secrete acids that are used in digestion. The acids are secreted with the simulation of histamine, gastrin, and Acetylcholine. The stomach is lined with a mucous lining that protects it from the corrosive activities of the acids. When non-steroidal drugs are used, they act on the mucous wall thereby exposing the inner lining of stomach or duodenum. Development of physiological target based potent and safe drugs have helped make gains in the managing of peptic ulcer disease. One of the methods is use of antacids. These medicines work nearly instantaneously by relieving neutralizing acidity in the stomach. It neutralizes hydrochloric acid and inhibits proteolytic enzyme pepsin. It can neutralize acid in the lumen thus avoids the need for systematic absorption. These drugs are cost efficient and available in most population. Their effect is always short when taken without food on bare stomach but is prolonged if taken with food. Patients taking antacids should be educated to be to have information on the dangerous effects that taking calcium in high doses which leads to milk-alkali syndrome that is associated with hypercalcemia, metabolic and renal insufficiency alkalosis (Picolos, Lavis, & Orlander, 2005). Another solution to PUD is the use of histamine-2 receptor antagonist...