Gastritis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Digestive system

Stomach and stomach lining

Gastritis

Definition:

Gastritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

There are many causes of gastritis.

The most common are:

Medications (such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs)
Alcohol
Smoking
Infection of the stomach with Helicobacter pylori bacteria
Erosion (loss) of the protective layer of the stomach lining

Less common causes are:

Eating or drinking caustic or corrosive substances (such as poisons)
Backflow of bile into the stomach (bile reflux)
Autoimmune disorders (such as pernicious anemia)
Excess gastric acid secretion (such as from stress)
Viral infection, especially in people with a weak immune system

Gastritis can occur suddenly (acute gastritis) or gradually (chronic gastritis).

Review Date: 2/14/2005
Reviewed 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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