Isotechnika Diagnostics

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  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Helikit ® Product Description
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Helikit ®

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What causes stomach ulcers?
   Until relatively recently, the medical community believed that ulcers were caused by excess stomach acid eating through tissues leading to inflammation.  In the early 1990's conclusive evidence identified Helicobacter pylori bacterium as causing almost all cases of duodenal ulcers.  Helicobacter pylori secretes toxins that cause inflammation, bringing about damage to the duodenal tissues.  A proportion of gastric ulcers are due to nonsteriodial anti-inflammatory drug use and are not due to Helicobacter pylori .
   
   
2. What is Helicobacter pylori?
   Helicobacter pylori is a spiral shaped bacterium that lives in the lining of the stomach.  It is very unique in the way that it has adapted to live in the acidic environment of the stomach.  The stomach is protected from its own gastric juice by a thick layer of mucus that covers the stomach lining. Helicobacter pylori takes advantage of this protection by living in the mucus lining.
   
   
3. What is the current recommended treatment for stomach ulcers?
   From early 1994 until present, various combinations of antibiotic treatments with drugs that prevent acid secretion were utilized, with treatments varying from 7 to 14 days in length which have been endorsed by medical experts.  Ask your doctor for more information.
   
   
4. Has Helicobacter pylori bacteria been implicated in any other diseases?
   Helicobacter pylori bacterium is considered as a Class 1 carcinogen and significantly enhances the risk of developing stomach cancer and lymphomas.
   
   
5. How is Helicobacter pylori transmitted?
   Although not yet conclusively established, oral transmission is suspected.