Topic: Lowering Your Chances of having Ulcer  (Read 2369 times)

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Lowering Your Chances of having Ulcer
« on: February 03, 2014, 10:29:40 AM »
Risk factors for most illnesses are divided into two groups: those you can change and those you can’t. Ulcer risks stack up pretty much that way. One risk factor is advancing age, and there is not much any of us can do to slow the progression of time. Your ulcer risk also rises if close relatives have ulcers, and nothing can change your gene pool.

On the other hand, cutting down on drinking and quitting smoking are among the steps that will better enable to reduce your overall ulcer risk.

Ulcer Risk Factor: Helicobacter pylori

Unfortunately, while two-thirds of all ulcers are caused by bacterial infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), researchers have still not figured out how to stop this infection, or why exactly it causes an ulcer in one person it infects and not another. H. pylori may spread from person to person, or you could get it from contaminated water sources. In a developed country like the United States, it’s hard to pinpoint its route. There’s not much that can be done to avoid this risk factor, apart from taking the same precautions that you do to avoid any germs — wash your hands often, especially after using the bathroom, and be extra careful about the water you drink, especially when traveling to developing countries.

Ulcer Risk Factor: NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) account for most of the other cases of ulcers. NSAID is an umbrella term that covers many over-the-counter and prescription pain relievers taken for a variety of illnesses and medical conditions, from flu or arthritis relief to heart attack prevention.

Popular NSAIDs include:

    Aspirin
    Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)
    Naproxen (Aleve)
    Ketoprofen (Orudis)
    Celecoxib (Celebrex)
    Diclofenac (Voltaren)
    Nabumetone (Relafen)

Some pain relief products may be part NSAID like Excedrin, an over-the-counter combination of aspirin, acetaminophen (not an NSAID), and caffeine. Cold and cough medicines may have an NSAID as an ingredient, too. Start by recognizing how many NSAIDs you might be taking without even realizing it, then determine with your doctor’s help if you can cut down.

Ulcer Risk Factors That Worsen NSAIDs’ Effects

Everyone has some risk of stomach upset from taking NSAIDs, but some people have more risk than others. Factors that increase your risk of developing an ulcer if you take NSAIDs on a constant basis include:

    A history of ulcers or bleeding in your stomach
    Taking steroid medication or a blood thinner as well
    Drinking alcohol in excess
    Smoking regularly
    Getting heartburn or an upset stomach when you take NSAIDs
    Taking more NSAIDs than your doctor or pharmacist suggests or taking multiple NSAID medications
    Being over age 60 — one study found that advancing age is also a major risk factor in having an ulcer bleed, especially when there are other medical issues, and the risk is even higher for those with NSAID-related ulcers

Note that alcohol and smoking on their own are considered risk factors — another good reason to drink in moderation and to stop using tobacco products once and for all.

If you rely on NSAIDs for pain relief or heart disease risk management — you take an aspirin every day, for instance — speak with your doctor about how you can reduce your risk of ulcer, especially if you have any of these additional risk factors. Your doctor might prescribe a drug that reduces stomach acid or suggest other options for pain.

Ulcer Risk Factor: The Matter of Stress

Before the discovery of H. pylori, ulcers were often blamed on stress (as well as spicy food). Today popular opinion has shifted in opposite direction, with many doctors totally discounting both factors, although, importantly, there is almost unanimous agreement that both stress and certain foods can aggravate an ulcer.

However, while it is worth noting that many people have high stress and do not develop an ulcer, there are some ulcer patients for whom stress may be the only explanation, says Patrick I. Okolo, III, MD, MPH, chief of endoscopy at Johns Hopkins Hospital and assistant professor of gastroenterology and hepatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

“Stress is a problem. Peptic ulcers were [in the past] often thought of as an 'executive' disease,” says Dr. Okolo. However, he notes, some people with ulcers don't have H. pylori and aren't taking NSAIDs. "In that group of people, there appears to be measurable or reportable stress.” Okolo adds that how stress may cause ulcers is not fully understood, but there is a link between stress and many gastrointestinal complaints.

Source: Everydayhealth

 

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