Posts Tagged ‘Duodenal Ulcer’
Peptic Ulcer
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
DESCRIPTION
Peptic ulcers (an ulcer is an erosion in the mucous membranes that produces a crater-like lesion) can occur anywhere in the digestive tract, but are most common in the lower half of the stomach (gastric ulcer) or in the upper part of the duodenum, the first 30 cm (12”) of the small intestine directly below the stomach (duodenal ulcer). Duodenal ulcers are four to five times more common than gastric ulcers, and are four times more common in men than in women. While duodenal ulcers are almost always benign, gastric ulcers may become malignant. Ulcers can affect all ages, and about 1 in 10 Americans develops a peptic ulcer at some period in his or her lifetime. (more…)