REFRACTORY PEPTIC-ULCERS - PATHOGENIC MEC HANISMS

The vast majority of peptic ulcers heal after treatment with either H- 2 receptor antagonists or omeprazole at standard doses. However, it is also recognized that a 5-10% of peptics ulcers will not heal. The pos sibility of identifying the factors associated with refractory ulcers would have important repercussions. Several retrospective and prospect ive studies have pointed out a number of clinical, environmental or in trinsec factors. in recent years 2 factors have emerged as the main ca use of peptic ulcer. Helicobacter pylori infection and NSAID use, and these two factors might be involved in the pathogenesis of refractory ulcer.