Ulcers

Until recently, the sole cause of gastric and duodenal ulcers was thought to be overproduction of stomach acid due to prolonged stress, smoking, or poor eating habits. However, in 1992, researchers confirmed that many ulcers are caused by infection with bacteria capable of living in the highly acidic environment of the stomach. This revolution in ulcer research has radically changed the way ulcers are diagnosed and treated. For instance, instead of treating ulcer patients with acid-reducing drugs for months or even years, patients with the bacterially-caused ulcers take a week-long course of antibiotics. And in contrast to the 50–95% relapse rate with conventional treatment, the new antibiotic treatment has reduced the recurrence rate to 20%.