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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffGastritis usually develops when your stomach's protective layer becomes weakened or damaged. A mucus-lined barrier protects the wall of your stomach from the acids that help digest your food. Weaknesses in the barrier allow your digestive juices to damage and inflame your stomach lining. A number of diseases and conditions can make your stomach's protective layer vulnerable to damage and increase your risk of gastritis.
Gastritis can occur suddenly or develop over weeks and months:
- Acute gastritis is stomach inflammation that develops quickly and lasts for a short period of time.
- Chronic gastritis develops gradually and may last for an extended period of time.
References
- Lee EL, et al. Gastritis and gastropathies. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&about=true&uniqId=229935664-2192. Accessed March 9, 2011.
- American College of Gastroenterology guideline on the management of Helicobacter pylori infection. Bethesda, Md.: American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/physicians/guidelines/ManagementofHpylori.pdf. Accessed March 10, 2011.
- Gastritis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gastritis/index.htm. Accessed March 9, 2011.
- Guidelines for the management of dyspepsia. Bethesda, Md.: American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/physicians/guidelines/dyspepsia.pdf. Accessed March 10, 2011.
- H. pylori and peptic ulcers. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hpylori/index.htm. Accessed March 9, 2011.
- FDA drug safety communication: Possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist and spine with the use of proton pump inhibitors. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm213206.htm. Accessed March 10, 2011.
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