Gastritis

Question 1

What is Gastritis?

Answer 1

An inflammation of the stomach lining resulting from irritation of the gastric mucosa
- It can be acute or chronic
- It can be diffuse or localized

Question 2

What is the most common disease affecting the stomach?

Answer 2

Gastritis

Question 3

What causes Gastritis?

Answer 3

• Irritation due to excessive alcohol use
• Chronic vomiting
• Stress
• The use of certain medications, such as aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs
• Infections caused by bacteria and viruses

Question 4

What is Helicobacter pylori?

Answer 4

A bacterium that lives in the mucous lining of the stomach

Question 5

What happens if Helicobacter pylori is not treated?

Answer 5

• Can lead to gastritis and, in some people, stomach cancer

Question 6

What is Pernicious anaemia?

Answer 6

A form of anemia that occurs when the stomach lacks a naturally occuring substance needed to properly absorb and digest vitamin B12

Question 7

What is bile reflux?

Answer 7

A backflow of bile into the stomach from the bile tract

Question 8

What is the pathophysiology of gastritis?

Answer 8

• The stomach tissue is protected from autodigestion by gastric secretion pepsin and mucus
• The mucosal lining barrier is composed of prostaglandins,
• when this barrier is broken or penetrated
• the acid is able to diffuse back into the mucosa
• On entering the stomach
• the hydrochloric acid stimulates the conversion of pepsinogen into pepsin
• The pepsin stimulates the mast cell to produce histamine
• all these occurrences cause edoema and hyperemia of the gastric with superficial erosion
• which can lead to bleeding due to injury of small vessels.

Question 9

What is the pathophysiology of chronic gastritis?

Answer 9

• Chronic alteration of the productive mucosal barriers
• may cause progressive gastric atrophy
• which is accompanied by the death of the chief and parietal cells.
• Parietal cells are acid secreting
• and these decrease because of gastric mucosa atrophy
• The loss of the acid secreting cells
• results in the loss of the intrinsic factor
• which normally facilitates the absorption of vitamin b12 in the ileum

Question 10

What are the diagnostic evaluation for gastritis?

Answer 10

• Blood test (FBC, H.pylori)
• Fecal occult blood test (stool test). This test checks for the presence of blood in stools
• Upper endoscopy: An endoscope, a thin tube containing a tiny camera, inserted through the mouth and down into the stomach to look at the stomach lining.

Question 11

What are the clinical manifestations of gastritis?

Answer 11

• Nausea, vomiting
• Anorexia
• Abdominal bloating
• Epigastric pain
• Indigestion
• Hiccups
• Loss of appetite
• Belching

Question 12

What is the treatment for Gastritis?

Answer 12

• Taking antacids and other drugs (such as cimetidine to prevent the stimulation of gastric parietal cell to secrete hydrochloric acid
• For gastritis caused by H. pylori infection, a regimen of several antibiotics
• If the gastritis is caused by pernicious anemia, B12 vitamin shots will be given
• Avoiding hot, spicy foods and alcohol