Complications and Management of Peptic Ulcer Disease

Abstract

Despite the improvement of medical managements of peptic ulcer and decline of Helicobacter pylori infection, complications of peptic ulcer are still prevalent in clinical practice. This is because of the increased use of ulcerogenic medications such as aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in elderly patients. Peptic ulcer complications include bleeding, perforation, penetration and gastric outlet obstruction. These complications need to be managed by multidisciplinary approaches such as combination of endoscopic treatment, radiologic embolization, or surgical treatments. In addition to using proton pump inhibitors, H. pylori eradication and discontinuing ulcerogenic medications are essential in the prevention of recurrence. Although uncommon, non-H. pylori, non-NSAID ulcers should be suspected as a potential cause in recurrent cases of peptic ulcer complications.