Stress ulcer

A stress ulcer is a single or multiple mucosal defect usually caused by physiological (not psychological) stress which can become complicated by upper gastrointestinal bleeding. These ulcers can be caused by shock, sepsis, trauma or other conditions and are found in patients with chronic illnesses. These ulcers are a significant issue in patients in critical and intensive care.

It was previously thought that peptic ulcers (a different type of ulcer) could be caused by psychological stress but this was proven false with the discovery of Helicobacter pylori and its role in the formation of this ulcer. Stress ulcers are a different condition and are formed by different mechanisms. The term stress ulcer is a proper medical term and should not be misinterpreted as indicating that these ulcers are caused by emotional stress. Here the term stress refers to extreme physiological changes in the body.

Another distinction between peptic and stress ulcers is their location in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Whereas ordinary peptic ulcers are found commonly in the gastric antrum and the duodenum, stress ulcers are usually found in the fundic mucosa and can be located anywhere within the stomach and proximal duodenum. Stress ulcers tend to present with multiple lesions whereas in peptic ulcers this is much more uncommon.