Indigestion laboratory findings
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Indigestion |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Indigestion laboratory findings On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Indigestion laboratory findings |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Indigestion laboratory findings |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
People without risk factors for serious causes of dyspepsia usually do not need investigation beyond an office based clinical examination. However, people over the age 55 years and those with alarm features are usually investigated by esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD or OGD in Britain). In this painless investigation the esophagus, stomach and duodenum are examined through an endoscope passed down through the mouth. This will rule out peptic ulcer disease, medication related ulceration, malignancy and other rarer causes.
People under the age of 55 years with no alarm features do not need EGD but are considered for investigation for peptic ulcer disease caused byHelicobacter pylori infection. Investigation for H.pylori infection is usually performed when there is a moderate to high prevalence of this infection in the local community or the person with dyspepsia has other risk factors for H. pylori infection, related for example to ethnicity or immigration from a high-prevalence area. If infection is confirmed it can usually be eradicated by medication.