Final answer:
Antibiotics such as amoxicillin and clarithromycin are part of the triple therapy used to treat peptic ulcers caused by H. pylori, in combination with a proton pump inhibitor to reduce stomach acid.
Step-by-step explanation:
Antibiotics might be used to treat a peptic ulcer caused by Helicobacter pylori. The recommended treatment by the US Food and Drug Administration for an H. pylori infection is triple therapy, which includes two antibiotics among the medications. For example, the regimen of omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin (OAC) diagram combines the acid-reducing effects of omeprazole with the antimicrobial activity of amoxicillin and clarithromycin. The treatments aim to eradicate the H. pylori bacteria and reduce the stomach acidity to facilitate healing of the ulcer.
Another example of triple therapy is lansoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin (LAC), illustrating that a similar strategy with a different proton pump inhibitor (lansoprazole) is also effective. Successful treatment of peptic ulcers often requires a combination of antimicrobial therapy to clear the infection and acid suppression to heal the ulcerated area of the stomach or duodenum.