In many people, this results in atrophic gastritis later in life, a thinning of the gastric epithelium and a decrease in stomach function. Peptic ulcers affect over 5 million Americans each year, with approximately 350,000 to 500,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the U.S. Peptic ulcers are characterized by a uniform, gnawing pain in the epigastic area that regularly appears one to three hours after a meal. Some ulcers, however, may be completely asymptotic until they hemorrhage or perforate the digestive system wall. Peptic ulcers lead to over 600,000 hospitalizations for severe episodes and 5 million visits to doctors offices. The mortality rate associated with ulcers is relatively low, but the NIH estimates that approximately 6,000 people die each year from ulcer-related complications.
Ulcers cause enormous disability and lost productivity.
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