Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat They AreWhat They Are NotHow They FormWhere They’re FoundTypesSymptomsDiagnosis and Treatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What They Are
What They Are Not
How They Form
Where They’re Found
Types
Symptoms
Diagnosis and Treatment
Learn more about stress ulcers, what they are and what they are not, how they form, symptoms, and more.
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Stress Ulcers: What They Are
This condition is often confused with three similar conditions, which are:
These terms are sometimes used interchangeably.
Stress Ulcers: What They Are Not
Stress ulcers, peptic ulcers, gastritis, and gastropathy all affect the lining of the stomach. Additionally, they have overlapping symptoms and can occur at the same time.However, there are differences among these conditions.
Stress Ulcers vs. Peptic Ulcers
Peptic ulcers, also called stomach ulcers, are open sores in the stomach, in theesophagus(which is just above the stomach), or in theduodenum(which is just below the stomach).
Causes of peptic ulcers include:
Stress Ulcers vs. Gastritis
Gastritis is similar to a stress ulcer in that they both involve irritation in the digestive tract and the lining of the stomach. They may also have similar symptoms, such as pain in the upper abdomen. However, they are different conditions.
Gastritis involvesinflammation, which can be increased redness, swelling, and pain, whereas an ulcer is an open sore or damaged tissue.Gastritis can also lead to peptic ulcers.
Stress Ulcers vs. Gastropathy
Like gastritis, gastropathy is similar to stress ulcers in that they are both irritations that affect the stomach lining. Gastropathy, however, causes damage to the lining of the stomach.Additionally, gastropathy can lead to peptic ulcers.
Gastritis vs. Gastropathy
How Stress Ulcers Form
Some estimate that 75% percent of people admitted to hospital intensive care units (ICUs) who are not receiving preventive care for stress ulcers may develop asymptomatic stress ulcers, but a much lower percentage have clinically significant bleeding.
When a person experiences critical illness or hospitalization, there are physical effects on the body.Stomach acidlevels can increase and the lining of the stomach—also called themucosa—can be damaged.It can also impact the duodenum, which is just below the stomach and where food is additionally digested after leaving the stomach. As the mucosal lining deteriorates, stress ulcers begin to form.
Physical stress such as physical trauma or surgery can lead to changes in:
Stress Ulcer CausesTypes of physical stress that can turn into stress ulcers include:Bodily traumaBrain injuryBurnsHemorrhageInjurySepsisShockSurgery
Stress Ulcer Causes
Types of physical stress that can turn into stress ulcers include:Bodily traumaBrain injuryBurnsHemorrhageInjurySepsisShockSurgery
Types of physical stress that can turn into stress ulcers include:
Who Is at Risk?
While anyone in the ICU or hospital setting can develop a stress ulcer, some people are at a greater risk of getting them and experiencing complications such as significant bleeding. Risk factors include:
Where a Stress Ulcer Is Found
Stress ulcers are found in thegastrointestinal tract. Most stress ulcers occur in the lining of the stomach—more specifically, in the middle or top regions of the stomach. However, they can also occur in the esophagus, in the lower part of the stomach, or in the duodenum.
Types of Stress Ulcers
Stress Ulcer Symptoms
The stress ulcer that is most common among people who are critically ill is bleeding that comes from the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract.This can be seen when a person vomits blood or when the stool looks black from blood. Symptoms that are less severe include pain in the stomach region and nausea.
The following can all be symptoms of stress ulcers:
Stress ulcers can be diagnosed with a procedure called anendoscopy. This is when a medical device made up of a long tube with a light and camera is placed into the stomach through the mouth.
Once diagnosed, stress ulcers can be treated with medications. Additionally, medications calledproton pump inhibitors, which decrease stomach acid, are sometimes given to people in ICUs to prevent stress ulcers.
Summary
Stress ulcers form when physical stress changes acid levels in the stomach, which damages the lining of the stomach.
There are different types of stress ulcers, including Curling ulcers seen in people with severe burns and Cushing ulcers seen in people with severe brain injury. Symptoms include stomach pain, vomiting, and bleeding.
A Word From Verywell
Stress ulcers can be painful, and some of the symptoms, such as blood in vomit or stool, may be frightening. Sometimes having stress ulcers can lengthen your hospital stay or lead to other complications. Fortunately, this condition is treatable and help is available.
What Can I Eat if I Have an Ulcer?
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Medical School.Medical dictionary of health terms: Ulcer.Kerama SK, Okalebo FA, Nyamu DG, Guantai EM, Ndwigah SN, Maru SM.Risk factors and management of stress ulcers in the critical care unit in a Kenyan referral hospital.African Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2014;3(2).National Institutes of Health.Definition & facts for gastritis & gastropathy.National Institutes of Health.Definition & facts for peptic ulcers.National Institutes of Health.Gastritis & gastropathy.Krag M, Perner A, Wetterslev J, et al.Prevalence and outcome of gastrointestinal bleeding and use of acid suppressants in acutely ill adult intensive care patients. Intensive Care Med. 2015;41(5):833-45. doi:10.1007/s00134-015-3725-1Siddiqui AH, Farooq U, Siddiqui F.Curling Ulcer. In:StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Madsen KR, Lorentzen K, Clausen N, Oberg E, Kirkegaard PR, Maymann-Holler N, Moller MH.Guideline for stress ulcer prophylaxis in the intensive care unit. Dan Med J. 2014;61(3):C4811.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Medical School.Medical dictionary of health terms: Ulcer.Kerama SK, Okalebo FA, Nyamu DG, Guantai EM, Ndwigah SN, Maru SM.Risk factors and management of stress ulcers in the critical care unit in a Kenyan referral hospital.African Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2014;3(2).National Institutes of Health.Definition & facts for gastritis & gastropathy.National Institutes of Health.Definition & facts for peptic ulcers.National Institutes of Health.Gastritis & gastropathy.Krag M, Perner A, Wetterslev J, et al.Prevalence and outcome of gastrointestinal bleeding and use of acid suppressants in acutely ill adult intensive care patients. Intensive Care Med. 2015;41(5):833-45. doi:10.1007/s00134-015-3725-1Siddiqui AH, Farooq U, Siddiqui F.Curling Ulcer. In:StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Madsen KR, Lorentzen K, Clausen N, Oberg E, Kirkegaard PR, Maymann-Holler N, Moller MH.Guideline for stress ulcer prophylaxis in the intensive care unit. Dan Med J. 2014;61(3):C4811.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Harvard Medical School.Medical dictionary of health terms: Ulcer.Kerama SK, Okalebo FA, Nyamu DG, Guantai EM, Ndwigah SN, Maru SM.Risk factors and management of stress ulcers in the critical care unit in a Kenyan referral hospital.African Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2014;3(2).National Institutes of Health.Definition & facts for gastritis & gastropathy.National Institutes of Health.Definition & facts for peptic ulcers.National Institutes of Health.Gastritis & gastropathy.Krag M, Perner A, Wetterslev J, et al.Prevalence and outcome of gastrointestinal bleeding and use of acid suppressants in acutely ill adult intensive care patients. Intensive Care Med. 2015;41(5):833-45. doi:10.1007/s00134-015-3725-1Siddiqui AH, Farooq U, Siddiqui F.Curling Ulcer. In:StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021.Madsen KR, Lorentzen K, Clausen N, Oberg E, Kirkegaard PR, Maymann-Holler N, Moller MH.Guideline for stress ulcer prophylaxis in the intensive care unit. Dan Med J. 2014;61(3):C4811.
Harvard Medical School.Medical dictionary of health terms: Ulcer.
Kerama SK, Okalebo FA, Nyamu DG, Guantai EM, Ndwigah SN, Maru SM.Risk factors and management of stress ulcers in the critical care unit in a Kenyan referral hospital.African Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 2014;3(2).
National Institutes of Health.Definition & facts for gastritis & gastropathy.
National Institutes of Health.Definition & facts for peptic ulcers.
National Institutes of Health.Gastritis & gastropathy.
Krag M, Perner A, Wetterslev J, et al.Prevalence and outcome of gastrointestinal bleeding and use of acid suppressants in acutely ill adult intensive care patients. Intensive Care Med. 2015;41(5):833-45. doi:10.1007/s00134-015-3725-1
Siddiqui AH, Farooq U, Siddiqui F.Curling Ulcer. In:StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021.
Madsen KR, Lorentzen K, Clausen N, Oberg E, Kirkegaard PR, Maymann-Holler N, Moller MH.Guideline for stress ulcer prophylaxis in the intensive care unit. Dan Med J. 2014;61(3):C4811.
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