Nursing implications
- Nutrition: aim to stabilise the patient’s weight. Give small portions of bland, low-fibre food six times a day. Missed meals can exacerbate symptoms.
- Patient should avoid tea and coffee as caffeine stimulates the production of gastric juice; alcohol should also be avoided as this irritates a gastric ulcer.
- Give medications at optimum times: for example, antacids are most effective one hour after meals.
- Look for ulcer complications such as haemorrhage, perforation and obstruction. The patient may experience vomiting, haematemesis or melaena.