Conflicting Clinical Results Lead To Over Prescribing of Acid Lowering Drugs For People Suffering From Peptic Ulcers.

Conflicting clinical results lead to over-prescribing of acid lowering drugs for people suffering from peptic ulcers. Current clinical guidelines recommend that patients with peptic ulcers younger than 45 years of age should be tested for infection by a common bacteria (H. pylori) prior to being given drugs that reduce the production of stomach acid. These drugs are commonly called proton pump inhibitors (PPI's) because they lower the secretions of acids in the stomach from special glands called proton pumps. However, the recommendation to test patients for bacterial infection of the stomach prior to prescribing drugs is being ignored by the majority of general practitioners. In many cases, physicians decide to prescribe drugs that lower the production of stomach acid instead of taking the time to test the patients for infection of the stomach with H. pylori.

According to the study, patients that have H. pylori would be better served with treatment using common antibiotics. Studies have shown that infection of H. pylori is common in 24 to 61% of patients tested. In this study, patients with H.pylori that were treated with antibiotics were less likely to experience symptoms of peptic ulcer, required fewer drugs, and were more satisfied with their results than those treated with acid lowering drugs (PPI's). Patients that have been diagnosed with peptic ulcers should request that they be tested for infection with the stomach bacteria H. pylori prior to accepting a prescription for acid lowering drugs (PPI's).