peptic

Peptic is an adjective used in medicine to refer to digestion, especially gastric digestion. It is most often encountered in connection with the enzyme pepsin, a protease produced by the stomach. Pepsinogen, the inactive precursor produced by gastric chief cells, is converted to active pepsin in the acidic environment created by hydrochloric acid. Pepsin cleaves peptide bonds in proteins, aiding the breakdown of dietary proteins into smaller peptides in the stomach and upper small intestine.

In clinical usage, peptic is associated with peptic ulcers and related disorders. A peptic ulcer is a mucosal erosion that can occur in the stomach (gastric ulcer) or the first part of the small intestine (duodenal ulcer). The development of peptic ulcers involves an imbalance between protective mechanisms of the gastric mucosa and damaging factors, including Helicobacter pylori infection, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, and excess acid. Symptoms commonly include epigastric pain, but presentations can vary. Management typically includes acid suppression (such as proton pump inhibitors or H2 blockers) and, when indicated, antibiotic therapy for H. pylori. Complications can include bleeding, perforation, and gastric outlet obstruction.

Peptic gastritis and, more broadly, peptic disease describe inflammatory or erosive processes of the stomach lining related to similar etiologies and acid exposure. In everyday medical language, peptic is used to link the concept of digestion and gastric enzymes to these conditions.