Ulcer News and Research

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Twenty-five million Americans suffer from ulcers. An ulcer is a sore or hole in the lining of the stomach or duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). People of any age can get an ulcer and women are affected just as often as men.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacterium that lives on the lining of the stomach. Although we used to think that spicy food, acid, and stress were the major causes of ulcers, we now know that nine out of ten ulcers are caused by H. pylori. Medicines that reduce stomach acid may make you feel better, but your ulcer may come back. Here's the good news: Since most ulcers are caused by this bacterial infection, they can be cured with the right antibiotics.

Flesh-eating bacteria on Texas beach leaves man fighting for his life

Steve Gilpatrick went swimming while on holiday in early July at Crystal Beach, when the ulcer had apparently almost healed; his leg became infected three days later and he developed a high fever and was taken to hospital.

21 Jul 2007

Giving patients question checklists helps patients ask right questions

Asking more questions during a visit to the doctor might help patients get care that is more satisfactory, but many patients are not sure where to start.

20 Jul 2007

Preventive techniques greatly reduce pressure ulcers

Working together to reduce the occurrence of pressure ulcers in patients throughout various care settings, members of the New Jersey Hospital Association's Pressure Ulcer Collaborative have reported a 70 percent reduction in the incidence of new pressure ulcers after nearly two years of applying shared best practices and preventive techniques.

18 Jul 2007

Why NSAIDs damage the tissue that lines the gastrointestinal tract

New versions of drugs like buffered aspirin and Vioxx could produce fewer harmful side effects thanks to research being done at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

23 Jun 2007

Hospitals that have better working conditions for nurses are safer for elderly intensive care unit patients

Hospital associated infections are the number six cause of death in the United States (CDC March 2007). Nurses, as the largest workforce in the nation's hospitals, are in a unique position to positively impact the safety of ICUs if systematic improvements to their working conditions can be made.

28 May 2007

Diets high in salt may increase stomach ulcers

Scientists from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) have discovered that diets high in salt may increase the virulence of the pathogen Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which is the most common cause of ulcers in the stomach and duodenum.

24 May 2007

High salt intake increases gene activity in the ulcer-causing bacterium Helicobacter pylori

Scientists have identified yet another risk from a high-salt diet. High concentrations of salt in the stomach appear to induce gene activity in the ulcer-causing bacterium Helicobacter pylori, making it more virulent and increasing the likelihood of an infected person developing a severe gastric disease.

24 May 2007

Vitamin A Retinol lotion helps reduce wrinkles associated with aging

Applying vitamin A to the skin appears to improve the wrinkles associated with natural aging and may help to promote the production of skin-building compounds, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

23 May 2007

Honey for diabetic ulcers

The sore on Catrina Hurlburt's leg simply wouldn't heal. Complications from a 2002 car accident left Hurlburt, a borderline diabetic, with recurring cellulitis and staph infections.

4 May 2007

MRSA treated with maggots

University of Manchester researchers are ridding diabetic patients of the superbug MRSA - by treating their foot ulcers with maggots.

From The University of Manchester 4 May 2007

University of Nottingham tackles Helicobacter pylori

The occurrence of the disease is currently thought to be due to several factors including the toxic nature of the infecting strain, the genetic susceptibility of the host, and environmental factors.

26 Apr 2007

Stomach bacteria may protect against asthma

Researchers have found that a bacteria found in the stomach, that can cause cancer and peptic ulcers, may have a role in protecting children from asthma.

24 Apr 2007

Study links Helicobacter pylori to asthma prevention

The stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which causes stomach cancer and peptic ulcers, may not be all bad.

24 Apr 2007

Potential treatments for mouth ulcers

The drug pentoxifylline appears to have limited benefit in the first-line treatment of mouth ulcers due to recurrent apthous stomatitis, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology.

17 Apr 2007

Increase in shift-work among junior doctors could have a detrimental effect on the NHS

Changes in working practice and the introduction of the EWTD have led to a much needed reduction in the number of hours junior doctors work. However it has also meant an increase in shift-working. Most full shift rotas require junior doctors to work seven consecutive, 13 hour night shifts, a practice the Royal College of Physicians recently recommended should be avoided.

15 Apr 2007

Patient safety incidents at the nation's hospitals rose three percent

Patient safety incidents at the nation's hospitals rose three percent over the years 2003 to 2005, but the nation's top-performing hospitals had a 40 percent lower rate of medical errors when compared with the poorest-performing hospitals, according to the largest annual study of patient-safety issued today by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings company.

2 Apr 2007

World moves closer to eradicating ancient worm disease

A neglected tropical disease that has afflicted people since ancient times has moved a step closer towards eradication. In early March, twelve more countries were declared Guinea Worm Free by the International Commission for the Certification of Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease) Eradication.

27 Mar 2007

HIV-positive men who have sex before circumcision wounds are healed could increase female partners' infection risk

HIV-positive men undergoing circumcision might be more likely to transmit the virus to their female partners if they have sex before the circumcision wounds have healed, according to preliminary results from a study being conducted in Uganda and presented on Tuesday to 75 officials from the World Health Organization and UNAIDS at a meeting in Montreux, Switzerland, the Washington Post reports

8 Mar 2007

Gene therapy shows promise as treatment for diseased lower limbs at risk for amputation

New research suggests that gene therapy is a safe treatment method to explore in patients whose lower limbs are at risk for amputation because of poor circulation caused by blocked blood vessels.

27 Feb 2007