Upsets in the balance of stomach acid and digestive juices can lead to an ulcer. This can be caused by:
-
Bacterium
Helicobacter pylori (H pylori)
—common cause
- Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—blocks the body's ability to protect the stomach lining; common cause
-
Diseases that cause acid production to increase, such as
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
Not all people that take NSAIDs or with
H pylori
infection develop ulcers.
Rare causes include:
Risk factors for ulcer from
H pylori
infection include:
- Age: 60 or older
- Sex: male
- Race: Black and Hispanic
- Lower socio-economic group
- A crowded and unsanitary living environment
- Cigarette smoking
- Family history of ulcer disease
- Type O blood
Risk factors for ulcer from anti-inflammatory drugs include:
- Age: 60 or older
- Sex: male
- History of stomach upset from NSAIDs
- Prior peptic ulcer disease
- Cigarette smoking
- Alcohol abuse