Q:	My father and my brother have peptic ulcer disease. Is this condition hereditary?

A:

Five to ten percent of people in the United States will be diagnosed with peptic ulcer disease in their lifetime. There does appear to be some genetic correlation to the development of peptic ulcer disease. Ulcers in the duodenum (the part of the intestines just after the stomach) are more common in first-degree relatives (child, sibling) of an individual with duodenal ulcers. Both stomach and duodenal ulcers are more common in men than women. As we learn more about the human genome, and what genes link to specific conditions, it may be possible to identify individuals and families who are at increased risk for ulcer disease. Are there other risk factors I should know about? Risk factors, in general, are things that can make it more probable that someone develops a condition. Risk factors are usually different than causes. There are several important risk factors that can increase the likelihood of developing peptic ulcer disease. *Cigarette smoking: highly increased incidence of ulcer disease compared to non-smokers. Has been shown to slow the healing of ulcers and increase the likelihood that the ulcer will recur. *Increased gastric acid release: This is the acid released by the stomach in response to certain stimulus. Coffee, tumors, and bowel resection are examples of causes of increased gastric acid release. *Stress: While it in not entirely clear why stress influences the development of ulcers, it is evident that there is a relationship. *Medications: Examples include aspirin, NSAID's (like Ibuprofen). *Infection: Recent evidence has shown an association between duodenal ulcers and a bacteria known as H. Pylori. As you can see, there are many common risk factors for the development of ulcer disease. Just because you have a risk factor, does not mean you will develop the condition. Note that you do not need a risk factor in order to develop the disease. Can't find what you're looking for? Submit your own question