Helicobacter pylori overgrowth, carbon-14 test—does it require treatment?
The patient is 45 years old. During a physical examination, a carbon-14 test revealed excessive Helicobacter pylori without obvious symptoms of gastric discomfort. Is treatment necessary in this situation?
Doctor's answer (1)
Excess Helicobacter pylori can damage the gastric mucosal barrier, leading to diseases such as gastritis and gastric ulcers. Long-term infection also increases the risk of developing gastric cancer. The carbon-14 breath test is a commonly used diagnostic method that can accurately detect H. pylori infection.
Excess H. pylori is generally recommended for treatment. Currently, quadruple therapy is mainly used, which includes one proton pump inhibitor + two antibiotics + one bismuth compound. After completing the treatment, a follow-up carbon-14 breath test is needed after a certain washout period to confirm whether the eradication is successful.
Meanwhile, during treatment and daily life, attention should be paid to food hygiene, implementation of individual servings to avoid cross-infection, avoiding spicy, irritating, and greasy foods, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits.
It is recommended to visit a regular hospital and undergo treatment under the guidance of qualified physicians.
