Prevalence and Presentation of Peptic Ulcer Disease

Peptic ulcer disease affects about 1% of the population, with approximately 54,000 hospital admissions annually due to this condition. Common symptoms include upper abdominal pain, discomfort, heartburn, and acid indigestion, which can be nonspecific and overlap with other gastrointestinal disorders like functional dyspepsia. Physical examination may only reveal localized epigastric tenderness, further complicating accurate diagnosis. Risk factors for developing peptic ulcers primarily include the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and infection with H. pylori, with the latter being particularly common in individuals born before the 1960s.