Does Smoking Cause Peptic Ulcers?
An ulcer is an open sore in the lining of the stomach or duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. The exact cause of ulcers is not known. A relationship between smoking cigarettes and ulcers, especially duodenal ulcers, does exist. The 1989 Surgeon General’s report stated that ulcers are more likely to occur, less likely to heal, and more likely to cause death in smokers than in nonsmokers. Why is this so? Doctors are not really sure, but smoking does seem to be one of several factors that work together to promote the formation of ulcers. Stomach acid is important in producing ulcers. Normally, most of this acid is buffered by the food we eat. Most of the unbuffered acid that enters the duodenum is quickly neutralized by sodium bicarbonate, a naturally occurring alkali produced by the pancreas. Some studies show that smoking reduces the bicarbonate produced by the pancreas, interfering with the neutralization of acid in the duodenum. Other studies suggest that chronic cigarette
