●Estimates of the annual incidence of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) range from 0.1 to 0.3 percent. PUD incidence in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-infected individuals is approximately 1 percent per year, a rate that is 6- to 10-fold higher than for uninfected subjects. The incidence of PUD increases with age for both duodenal and gastric ulcers.
●Peptic ulcer disease is associated with two major factors: H. pylori infection and the consumption of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs are also associated with an increase in risk of complications from peptic ulcer disease which include gastrointestinal bleeding, perforation, and gastric outlet obstruction.
●Smoking is a risk factor for PUD. Alcohol in high concentrations damages the gastric mucosal barrier. Host genetic factors appear to be important in predisposing to H. pylori infection but can also influence the risk of PUD through other mechanisms. Dietary factors have been hypothesized to account for some of the regional variation of ulcer disease, possibly related to toxins generated with storage of certain foods or from protective effects of certain foods. However, evidence to support the use of a bland diet or dietary restrictions to prevent PUD are lacking.
●Most ulcers occur when the normal secretory, defense, or repair mechanisms of the stomach are disrupted by superimposed processes such as H. pylori infection and the ingestion of NSAIDs.
