Helicobacter pylori
Dr. Weyrich's Naturopathic Functional Medicine Notebook
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Overview
Helicobacter pylori is the bacteria that causes most cases of gastrointestinal ulcers. People with low stomach acidity (hypochlorhydria) are particularly at risk. Paradoxically, part of the standard treatment for stomach ulcers is the use of drugs that reduce stomach acid (antacids). While antacid treatment can relieve the burning symptoms caused by acid irritating the ulcerated stomach lining, unless an effective antibacterial treatment regimen is mounted simultaneously, the underlying Helicobacter pylori infection will be made worse.Patients with ulcers due to Helicobacter pylori should recover with proper treatment and should not need to take antacid drugs for long periods of time. Failure of treatment of Helicobacter pylori raises concern that the initial diagnosis was incorrect, and additional diagnostic procedures are warranted to rule out more serious diseases.
Pathophysiology
Helicobacter pylori grows in the mucosal lining the stomach, where it is protected from the gastric acid by the mucosa. In addition, Helicobacter pylori has an enzyme called "urease" that converts urea into ammonia, which neutralizes stomach acid in its vicinity.The gastric mucosa also shields the Helicobacter pylori from the body's immune system. However, the immune system recognizes the infection and mounts an inflammatory response. This inflammatory response is largely responsible for the formation of the painful ulcers.
ICD-9 Codes
| ICD9-Code | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 531.xx | Gastric ulcer |
References
Unless specifically noted above, references used in the construction of this web page include the following:[FDM] Lecture notes from Functional Medicine University.
[SCNM] Lecture notes from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine.
[UT] Lecture notes from the University of Tennessee graduate programs in Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Copyright © 2007-2010 Dr. Weyrich (Naturopathic Medical license number 07-1008). The information on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease or illness. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This web page is http://www.DrWeyrich.com/disorders/hpylori.html - Phone Dr. Weyrich at (480) 423-6952