Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
The urea breath test (UBT) is a test for diagnosing the
presence of a bacterium, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in the stomach.
H.
pylori causes inflammation, ulcers, and atrophy of the stomach. The test also may be used to
demonstrate that H. pylori has been eliminated by treatment with antibiotics.
What is the basis of this test?
The urea breath test is based on the ability of H. pylori to break down urea,
a chemical made up of nitrogen and carbon, into carbon dioxide which then is
absorbed from the stomach and eliminated in the breath. (Urea normally is
produced by the body from excess or "waste" nitrogen-containing chemicals and
then eliminated in the urine.)
How is this breath test done?
For the test, patients swallow a capsule containing urea made from an isotope of carbon.
(Isotopes of carbon occur in minuscule amounts in nature, and can be measured
with special testing machines.) If H. pylori is present in the stomach, the urea
is broken up and turned into carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is absorbed
across the lining of the stomach and into the blood. It then travels in the
blood to the lungs where it is excreted in the breath. Samples of exhaled breath
are collected, and the isotopic carbon in the exhaled carbon dioxide is
measured.
How are the results of the urea breath test interpreted?
If the isotope is detected in the breath, it means that H. pylori is present
in the stomach. If the isotope is not found, H. pylori is not present. When the
H. pylori is effectively treated (eradicated) by antibiotics, the test changes
from positive (isotope present) to negative (isotope absent).
Are there any risks or complications of the urea breath test?
There are no risks or complications of the urea breath test.
Though the cause of stomach cancer is unknown, risk factors for stomach cancer include diet, H. pylori infection, smoking age, gastritis, stomach surgery, family history, and pernicious anemia. Symptoms include stomach discomfort, feeling full after a small meal, nausea and vomiting, and weight loss. Treatment depends upon staging and may involve surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacterium that causes chronic inflammation (gastritis) of the inner lining of the stomach in humans. This bacteria also is the most common cause of ulcers worldwide.
A peptic ulcer is an ulcer in the lining of the stomach, duodenum, or esophagus. Ulcer formation is related to Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the stomach, use of anti-inflammatory medications, and cigarette smoking.
Dyspepsia (indigestion) is a functional disease in which the gastrointestinal organs, primarily the stomach and first part of the small intestine, function abnormally. It is a chronic disease in which the symptoms fluctuate infrequency and intensity. Symptoms of dyspepsia include upper abdominal pain, belching, nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, early satiety, and abdominal distention (swelling). These symptoms are most often provoked by eating.
Bad breath can result from poor oral hygien habits and may be a sign of other health problems. Bad breath, also called halitosis, can be made worse by the types of food you eat and other unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
A peptic ulcer is a hole in the gut lining of the stomach,
duodenum, or
esophagus. A peptic ulcer of the stomach is called a gastric
ulcer; of the
duodenum, a duodenal ulcer; and of the esophagus, an esophageal
ulcer. An
ulcer occurs when the lining of these organs is corroded by the
acidic
digestive juices which are secreted by the stomach cells.
Peptic ulcer
disease is common, affecting millions of Americans yearly. The
medical
cost of treating peptic ulcer and its complications runs in the
billions
of dollars annually. Recent medical advances have increased our
understanding of ulcer formation. Improved and expanded
treatment options
are now available.
What are the causes of peptic ulcers?
For many years, excess acid was believed to be the major cause
of ulcer
disease. Accordingly, treatment emphasis was on neutra...
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