Di Marino Overview of Gastritis - Gastrointestinal Disorders - Merck Manuals Professional Edition

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02/05/2016 Overview of Gastritis - Gastrointestinal Disorders - Merck Manuals Professional Edition

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PROFESSIONAL VERSION

Professional / Gastrointestinal Disorders / Gastritis and Peptic Ulcer Disease

Overview of GastritisBy Michael C. DiMarino, MD

Gastritis is inflammation of the gastric mucosa caused by any of several conditions,

including infection ( Helicobacter pylori ), drugs (NSAIDs, alcohol), stress, and autoimmune

phenomena (atrophic gastritis). Many cases are asymptomatic, but dyspepsia and GI

bleeding sometimes occur. Diagnosis is by endoscopy. Treatment is directed at the

cause but often includes acid suppression and, for H. pylori infection, antibiotics.

Gastritis is classified as erosive (see Erosive Gastritis) or nonerosive (see Nonerosive

Gastritis) based on the severity of mucosal injury. It is also classified according to the

site of involvement (ie, cardia, body, antrum). Gastritis can be further classified

histologically as acute or chronic based on the inflammatory cell type. No classification

scheme matches perfectly with the pathophysiology; a large degree of overlap exists.

Some forms of gastritis involve acid-peptic and H. pylori disease (see Helicobacter pylori

Infection). Additionally, the term is often loosely applied to nonspecific (and often

undiagnosed) abdominal discomfort and gastroenteritis.

Acute gastritis is characterized by PMN infiltration of the mucosa of the antrum and

body.

http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/gastritis-and-peptic-ulcer-disease/helicobacter-pylori-infectionhttp://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/gastritis-and-peptic-ulcer-disease/nonerosive-gastritishttp://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/gastritis-and-peptic-ulcer-disease/nonerosive-gastritishttp://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/gastritis-and-peptic-ulcer-disease/helicobacter-pylori-infectionhttp://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/gastritis-and-peptic-ulcer-disease/nonerosive-gastritishttp://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/gastritis-and-peptic-ulcer-disease/erosive-gastritishttp://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/gastritis-and-peptic-ulcer-disease/overview-of-acid-secretionhttp://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disordershttp://www.merckmanuals.com/professionalhttp://www.merckmanuals.com/professionalhttp://www.merckmanuals.com/


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Acute Gastritis

Image provided by David M. Martin, MD.


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© 2016 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA

Chronic Gastritis

Image provided by David M. Martin, MD.

Chronic gastritis implies some degree of atrophy (with loss of function of the mucosa)

or metaplasia. It predominantly involves the antrum (with subsequent loss of G cells

and decreased gastrin secretion) or the corpus (with loss of oxyntic glands, leading to

reduced acid, pepsin, and intrinsic factor).

Last full review/revision May 2014 by Michael C. DiMarino, MD

Documents

Di Marino Overview of Gastritis - Gastrointestinal Disorders - Merck Manuals Professional Edition