Gastritis overview

Gastritis Microchapters
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Gastritis is inflammation of the gastric mucosa. The word comes from the Greek gastro- meaning of the stomach and -itis meaning inflammation. Depending on the cause, it may persist acutely or chronically and may coincide with more serious conditions such as atrophy of the stomach.

Historical Perspective

In 1728, a German physician named Georg Ernst Stahl first used the term "gastritis" to describe inflammation of the inner lining of the stomach.

Classification

Gastritis may be classified according to chronicity, into two categories: acute and chronic.

Causes

Common causes include: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, damage to the stomach lining (such as from NSAIDs), and autoimmune response

Differentiating Gastritis overview from Other Diseases

Gastritis must be differentiated from peptic ulcer disease, gastric cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastroenteritis, and Crohn's disease.

Risk Factors

Common risk factors in the development of Gastritis include alcohol, NSAIDs, cocaine, autoimmune gastritis, Crohn’s disease, HIV/AIDS and bacterial infections such as Helicobacter pylori.

Diagnosis

History and Symptoms

Symptoms of gastritis may be silent or manifest as abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, and/or gastrointestinal bleeding.