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.

FDA warns of risks associated with using decorative contact lenses

This Halloween season, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is again warning consumers about the serious risks of using decorative contact lenses distributed without appropriate involvement by an eye care professional.

29 Oct 2004

Insects implicated in the evolution of new human infectious diseases

Insects and other invertebrates are the arena for the evolution of new infectious diseases in humans, new research shows.

25 Oct 2004

Black Sea coastal area of Turkey is prone to bouts of an unusual type of food poisoning from "mad" honey

The researchers detail 19 patients who all required emergency care in 2002 after eating local Turkish honey. The patients, whose ages ranged from 22 to 61, all had symptoms of nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, slowed heart rate and fainting. Four of them had also sustained head injuries after falling.

21 Oct 2004

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori is high among patients about to undergo weight loss surgery

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (a type of bacteria associated with gastrointestinal disorders) is high among patients about to undergo weight loss surgery, and treatment to eradicate the bacterial infection before surgery may be beneficial, according to an article in the October issue of The Archives of Surgery.

18 Oct 2004

COX-2 agents have influenced the way physicians prescribe rheumatology medication

COX-2 agents, with their perceived reduction in side effects, have contributed substantially to a dramatic increase in NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) prescription utilization and influenced the way physicians prescribe rheumatology medication

18 Oct 2004

Herbal, nutritional supplements linked to side effects ranging from dry eye to retinal hemorrhages and transient visual loss

An estimated 42 percent of Americans use herbal medicines or nutritional supplements. Many people taking these products and their physicians are unaware of the adverse reactions they can cause.

13 Oct 2004

18 percent of seniors with chronic conditions such as heart disease and depression skip medicines due to costs

A recent nationally representative survey of older adults finds that 18 percent of those with chronic conditions such as heart disease and depression skip some of their prescription medicines because of out-of-pocket cost pressures, and 14 percent do so at least every month.

6 Oct 2004

Another enterovirus 71 case confirmed in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection has confirmed another enterovirus 71 in a 21-month-old boy, bringing this year's total to 34. He travelled to the Mainland from September 3 to 5.

6 Oct 2004

The biggest risk for children during Halloween is being hit by a car

While many parents painstakingly inspect the pounds of sugary loot brought home each Halloween, they need to keep in mind that candy tampering isn’t the largest concern they face.

30 Sep 2004

We could soon be curing our athlete’s foot with alfalfa

We could be soon be curing our athlete’s foot with a common type of cattle feed, according to research reported today at the British Pharmaceutical Conference.

29 Sep 2004

New Australian biotech speeds up healing for burns and wounds

A Queensland PhD student’s discovery speeds up tissue growth and repair and sparks off a new listed biotech company.

20 Sep 2004

Sclerosants in microfoam are the treatment of choice for ulcers of varicose origin

The study brings together the results of more than ten years of monitoring 116 patients affected by varicose ulcers being treated in Granada, Pamplona and Madrid. On comparing these with data from other novel therapies

16 Sep 2004

HHS enhances Medicare drug card program to help seniors

Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced new measures to help seniors get the lowest price possible for their medicines by allowing them -- for the first time -- to compare prices for similar drugs used to treat common diseases such as high cholesterol or blood pressure.

15 Sep 2004

Enterovirus-71 case confirmed in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection has confirmed a case of enterovirus-71 involving a two-year-old girl.

10 Sep 2004

Stress won't cause stomach ulcers, but it can make them worse

“Stress won't cause stomach ulcers, but it can make them worse,” says Dr. David Graham, professor of medicine and molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. “Stress causes the body to produce higher amounts of acid, which can irritate preexisting ulcers.”

27 Aug 2004

Manuka honey effective treatment for leg ulcers

Leg ulcers are a major problem for many elderly people, but a new study hopes to confirm that manuka honey, which is readily available in most Kiwi homes is an effective treatment.

26 Aug 2004

COX2 inhibitor lumiracoxib could be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis

The use of non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is widespread to reduce the pain associated with osteoarthritis; however the sideeffects of these drugs can be severe, sometimes leading to gastro-intestinal ulcer complications which account for around 7000 US and 1000 UK deaths each year.

21 Aug 2004

Friendly bacteria the key to ulcerative colitis treatment

Affecting an estimated fifty thousand people in the UK, with a particularly high incidence rate in north east Scotland, ulcerative colitis is an acute and chronic disease that causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the lining of the large bowel.

17 Aug 2004

Physicians today perform more colonoscopies than necessary

A colonoscopy allows a physician look inside the entire large intestine, from the lowest part, the rectum, all the way up through the colon to the lower end of the small intestine.

16 Aug 2004

Scientists discover the body's own defense against H.Pylori, the cause of stomach ulcers and stomach cancer

An international team led by The Burnham Institute's Minoru Fukuda, Ph.D., has discovered that a human glycoprotein inhibits Helicobacter pylori ("H. pylori"), the bacterium that causes stomach ulcers and is linked with 90% of stomach cancers.

13 Aug 2004