Patient Brochure

How is H. pylori treated?

H. pylori ulcers are currently treated with a combination of antibiotics and other drugs to suppress acid and protect the lining of the stomach or duodenum.⁵ This is a dramatic medical advance because eliminating H. pylori with antibiotics means that there is less than a 10% chance of recurrence.¹ Most treatment regimens require 10 days to 14 days of therapy with dosing schedules that must be strictly followed. But treatment failure is a concern for two reasons. The first is “noncompliance” which occurs when patients do not take their medications as directed by their physicians. A second reason for treatment failure is “resistance” by the H. pylori bacteria to one or more of the antibiotics used to eliminate this bacteria.² Almost 9 out of 10 Americans treated for H. pylori infection in the United States are prescribed a regimen that includes the antibiotic clarithromycin.⁶ Resistance to clarithromycin has increased by more than 200% in the last 10 years.⁷ Resistance is now a factor in 1 out of every 10 Americans treated with clarithromycin.⁷

Another concern is the potential for allergic reaction to prescribed antibiotics. Along with clarithromycin, the antibiotic amoxicillin, a form of penicillin, is included in the prescription for almost 9 out of 10 patients being treated for H. pylori.⁶ Penicillins are associated with more allergic reactions than any other class of medication.^8,9

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