Question

A nurse is providing a client who has peptic ulcer disease with instructions about managing his condition. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?

a. eat six small meals a day
b. drink milk to aid in healing your ulcer
c. low-dose ASA should be avoided
d. seek measures to reduce stress
e. avoid smoking

Answer 1

A nurse should instruct a peptic ulcer disease patient to eat six small meals a day, seek stress-reducing measures, and avoid smoking. Low-dose ASA should be used with caution due to its potential to irritate the stomach lining. It's also clarified that diet is not the main cause of peptic ulcers, with Helicobacter pylori and NSAIDs being the primary culprits.

Step-by-step explanation:

When providing instructions to a client with peptic ulcer disease, a nurse should include the following:

• Eating six small meals a day to avoid overloading the stomach and to keep the acid levels consistent which can aid in healing and symptom control.
• Seeking measures to reduce stress as stress might exacerbate symptoms even though it is not a direct cause of ulcers.
• Avoiding smoking, as tobacco use can impair the healing process and potentially worsen ulcer symptoms.

It is important to note that low-dose ASA (aspirin) should be used cautiously as it can irritate the stomach lining and increase the risk for ulcers. While milk may temporarily soothe symptoms it actually increases acid production and is not recommended for healing ulcers.

Despite common beliefs a client's diet is not the main cause of peptic ulcers, and specific dietary restrictions (like avoiding spicy foods) are less relevant than previously thought. The main causes of peptic ulcers are infection with Helicobacter pylori and long-term use of NSAIDs.