The term 'gastritis' refers to inflammation of the lining (mucosa) of the stomach. This diagnosis can only be made by examination of biopsies of the stomach by a pathologist, demonstrating increased inflammatory cells, damage to the most superficial layer of the lining (epithelium), changes to the gastric glands, and other features. However, the term is also used when there is erythema (redness) of the gastric mucosa at endoscopy, although this may not always be accurate.
Some types of gastritis may carry a long term increased risk of gastric cancer, for instance if there is evidence of intestinal metaplasia, chronic atrophic gastritis, or dysplasia on the gastric biopsies. Your gastroenterologist will discuss the importance of these findings and whether there is a need for a follow-up gastroscopy, and if so, how frequently this should be done.
There are many causes, some of which are listed here:
Aspirin
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
Bile (refluxing from the duodenum)
Radiation
Vascular diseases
Granulomatous conditions
Sarcoidosis
Patients with gastritis may have no symptoms. However, common symptoms are loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen, particularly after eating. Weight loss may occur. Vomiting of blood (haematemesis) may occur if there is also ulceration.
The first step is to remove the cause e.g. cease the medication or alcohol, if that is the cause, or treat helicobacter pylori infection if there is evidence of this (see section on helicobacter pylori).
Patients with gastritis will usually benefit from acid reduction therapy (e.g. with histamine-2 receptor antagonists) for a few weeks or months, and sometimes from the use of other medications such as bismuth subcitrate and sucralfate.
Some links to information about Gastritis:
General information about
gastritis
http://www.thriveonline.com/health/Library/illsymp/illness232.html
Histology of chronic atrophic
gastritis
http://www.kumc.edu/instruction/medicine/pathology/ed/ch_13/c13_s20.html
Advice regarding the use
of NSAIDS
http://www.mediconsult.com/peptic/shareware/digest/stomach_irritation.html
Medical Sciences Bullitin
on NSAIDS
http://www.pharminfo.com/pubs/msb/nsaids.html
Some uncommon causes of
gastritis - Merck Manual
http://www.merck.com/!!vZXmK0An5vZXng2Y1e/pubs/mmanual/html/jofhfkeh.htm