ABSTRACT
Peptic ulcers are defects in the gastrointestinal mucosa that extend through the muscularis mucosae (Fig. 1). They persist because of peptic acid effects from gastric juice. The incidence has decreased in the last half century, but peptic ulcer disease still affects 200,000 to 400,000 people annually and accounts for 10% of medical costs for digestive diseases. The discovery of Helicobacter pylori infection has dramatically changed our understanding of the pathophysiology of ulcer disease and its treatment.
