MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Gastritis

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Gastritis - acute

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative names Definition Causes, incidence, and risk factors Symptoms Signs and tests	Treatment Expectations (prognosis) Complications Calling your health care provider Prevention

Illustrations

Digestive system

Digestive system organs

Alternative names Return to top

Acute gastritis

Definition Return to top

Acute gastritis is a sudden inflammation of the lining of the stomach.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top

Causes include medications, alcohol, ingestion of corrosive substances, extreme physiological stress, and infections. Acute gastritis is often associated with a severe, acute illness, or trauma. The risk factors include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use (NSAIDs), recent heavy alcohol use, and physiological stress such major surgery, head trauma, renal failure, liver failure, or respiratory failure.

Symptoms Return to top

Abdominal indigestion
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Vomiting blood or coffee-ground like material
Dark stools
Hiccups

Signs and tests Return to top

Treatment Return to top

Treatment depends on the cause of the gastritis. Antacids or other medications to decrease or neutralize gastric acid in the stomach will usually eliminate the symptoms and promote healing. Medications that cause gastritis should be discontinued. A gastric ulcer may be present, requiring treatment.

Gastritis due to stress is best treated by prevention. Medications to decrease gastric acid production such as proton pump inhibitors should be given to stressed hospital patients.

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

Most gastritis improves rapidly with treatment.

Complications Return to top

A complication is a severe loss of blood.

Calling your health care provider Return to top

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms of gastritis persist longer than 2 or 3 days. Call your health care provider if vomiting blood or if bloody stools develop.

Prevention Return to top

Control of risk factors may play a preventative role.

Update Date: 10/9/2003

Updated by: Christian Stone, M. D., Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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