Stress ulcer

A stress ulcer is defined as ulceration in the upper GI tract as a result of hospitalization 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.

A 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.