Ulcer-healing drugs and their actions and side-effects.

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a common cause of admission to hospital. Every year, there are approximately 30,000 admissions to hospital for upper gastrointestinal tract (GT) haemorrhage. Older people are at risk due to tissue changes in the tract associated with age. Younger sufferers may find that peptic ulcer disease is strongly related to lifestyle. Contributory factors include the level of emotional stress experienced, the type of food eaten and the variety/amount of stimulants taken. Peptic ulcers are medically treated with drugs from three different groups: antacids, mucosal protective agents and inhibitors of gastric secretion. Ulcers often recur after treatment, perhaps because of noncompliance with treatment or because a stressful lifestyle is resumed after healing has occurred. To achieve freedom from peptic ulcer disease, patients require from nurses not only information about their drug regime to encourage compliance, but health education to help them eliminate stressors that may contribute to the persistence of PUD.