Certified Gastroenterology Registered Nurse Practice Exam

The overproduction of gastric acid is a contributing factor to acid-peptic disorders, but it is not the sole cause. Acid-peptic disorders, such as peptic ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), arise from an imbalance between the protective mechanisms of the gastrointestinal mucosa and the damaging factors that can harm it.

These protective mechanisms include mucus production, bicarbonate secretion, and adequate blood flow to the gastric mucosa, while damaging factors consist of gastric acid, pepsin, and bacteria like Helicobacter pylori. When this delicate balance is disrupted, either by an increase in damaging factors or a decrease in protective measures, it leads to the development of acid-peptic disorders.

While excessive alcohol consumption and chronic stress can contribute to mucosal damage or increase acid production, the comprehensive understanding is that it is the imbalance—whether through increased acid secretion, decreased protection, or both—that fundamentally causes these disorders. This multifactorial nature is crucial for nurses and healthcare professionals in managing and treating patients with acid-peptic disorders effectively.