Until the middle of the 1980s it was believed that the major causes of ulcers were stress, the genetically linked secretion of excessive stomach acid, eating too much fatty, rich and spicy foods, and drinking too much alcohol, coffee and colas. It was also believed that certain personality types were more susceptible to peptic ulcers. The viewpoint was that all these factors contributed to an excessive production of stomach acids, which eroded the protective lining of the stomach, duodenum or oesophagus.
A relatively recent theory holds that the primary cause of peptic ulcers is a bacterium in the stomach called Helicobacter pyloridi (H. pylori). Re
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search conducted in the mid-1980s revealed the presence of this bacterium in almost 92 percent of cases of duodenal ulcers and 73% of cases of gastric ulcers. This bacterium causes ulcers either by stimulating increased acid production or by damaging the lining of the stomach or duodenum.
Factors that have been shown to increase the risk of peptic ulcers include smoking and the regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin and naproxen.
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