Complications may occur after mid-Ramazan

Sunday, September 13, 2009
Muhammad Qasim

RAWALPINDI: Health experts advise patients suffering from severe complications of stomach ulcer not to fast without taking medical advice from a qualified doctor.

Experts say that patients with stomach ulcer should undergo complete medical check-up for the diagnosis of the ulcer’s complications before fasting. They should also be aware of the fact that patients with severe state of ulcer might develop life-threatening complications of the disease, including haemorrhages.

Professor of Medicine at Rawalpindi Medical College and head of medical unit at Benazir Bhutto Hospital Dr Muhammad Shoaib Shafi believes that patients with severe ulcer, when fast for more than 12 hours a day, may develop complications. He said a patient of ulcer must undergo proper medication if needed before opting to fast.

“There are much effective medicines available in the market for ulcer these days and after using them on advice of a qualified physician, a patient may avoid complications of ulcer during Ramazan,” said Dr Shoaib. He advised that patients, who have been fasting without having a complete medical check up before Ramazan, should contact their physicians to avoid complications of the disease. “Such patients, who do not know the status of their disease, are more vulnerable to complications while fasting.”

Dr Shoaib said in most of the severe cases of ulcer, complications in a fasting patient occur after the 20th of Ramazan but said, “If the patient undergoes proper medication before the advent of Ramazan, he will not have any problem throughout the holy month.”

Dr Shoaib had conducted a research on the complications of ulcer during fasting with the help of surgeons some three years back. “We found that if patients with severe ulcer take no medication, they develop complications like bleeding, pyloric obstruction and/or perforation of ulcer,” he explained.

Studies reveal that stomach ulcer (also called a peptic ulcer) is small erosion (hole) in the gastrointestinal tract. The direct cause of peptic ulcers is destruction of the gastric or intestinal mucosal lining of the stomach by hydrochloric acid - an acid normally present in the digestive juices of the stomach. Excess secretion of hydrochloric acid, genetic predisposition, and psychological stress are important contributing factors in the formation and worsening of duodenal ulcers.

Health experts believe that another major cause of ulcers is the chronic use of anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin, while cigarette smoking is also an important cause of ulcer formation and ulcer treatment failure.

Dr Shoaib said that stomach ulcer affects the nerves surrounding it, which then become agitated and cause a great amount of pain. Stomach ulcers can cause haemorrhages from the erosion of a major blood vessel, a tear in the wall of the stomach or obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract because of spasm or swelling in the area of the ulcer.

Dr Shoaib said the chance of bleeding in a smoker patient of ulcer during Ramazan is 100 times greater than that of a non-smoker. “All patients having complaints of ulcer should completely avoid smoking during Ramazan,” advised Dr Shoaib adding that patients of ulcer should use plenty of fruits and lemon juice during Ramazan. Link...