Final answer:
Triple therapy for an H. pylori peptic ulcer involves the use of two different antibiotics and one proton pump inhibitor to combat the bacterial infection and reduce the acid level in the stomach.
Step-by-step explanation:
In treating an H. pylori peptic ulcer, triple therapy refers to the use of three combined medications to inhibit the growth and survival of the bacterium and to aid in the healing of the ulcer. This typically includes two antibiotics to combat the bacterial infection, and a third medicine, known as a proton pump inhibitor, which is not actually an antibiotic itself, but is used to decrease acid levels in the stomach where H. pylori thrives.
For example, one protocol could be 10 days of treatment using omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin (OAC), or 14 days of treatment using bismuth subsalicylate, metronidazole, and tetracycline (BMT). Another option could be 10 or 14 days of treatment with lansoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin (LAC).
The primary goal of this treatment regimen is to eradicate H. pylori from the digestive tract, to heal the peptic ulcer, and to reduce the risk of ulcer recurrence or development of gastric cancer.
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