BIO 2015 Assignment Gastritis Medical Report
BIO 2015 Assignment Gastritis Medical Report
Gastritis is a condition that inflames the stomach lining (the mucosa), causing belly pain, indigestion (dyspepsia), bloating and nausea. It can lead to other problems. Gastritis can come on suddenly (acute) or gradually (chronic). Medications and dietary changes can reduce stomach acid and ease gastritis symptoms.
What is gastritis?
Your stomach has a protective lining of mucus called the mucosa. This lining protects your stomach from the strong stomach acid that digests food. When something damages or weakens this protective lining, the mucosa becomes inflamed, causing gastritis. A type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the most common bacterial cause of gastritis.
What’s the difference between gastritis and indigestion?
Gastritis symptoms can mimic indigestion symptoms. Indigestion is pain or discomfort in the stomach associated with difficulty in digesting food. It may be a feeling of burning between your lower ribs. You may hear indigestion referred to by its medical term, dyspepsia.
How common is gastritis?
Acute (sudden) gastritis affects about 8 out of every 1,000 people. Chronic, long-term gastritis is less common. It affects approximately 2 out of 10,000 people.
Who might get gastritis?
Your risk of developing gastritis goes up with age. Older adults have thinner stomach linings, decreased circulation and a slower metabolism of mucosal repair. Older adults are also more likely to be on medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that can cause gastritis. About two-thirds of the world’s population is infected with H. pylori. Fortunately, it is less common in the United States. In the United States, H. pylori is found more often in older adults and lower socioeconomic groups.
What are the types of gastritis?
There are two main types of gastritis:
- Erosive (reactive): Erosive gastritis causes both inflammation and erosion (wearing away) of the stomach lining. This condition is also known as reactive gastritis. Causes include alcohol, smoking, NSAIDs, corticosteroids, viral or bacterial infections and stress from illnesses or injuries.
- Non-erosive: Inflammation of the stomach lining without erosion or compromising the stomach lining.