Date of Award

2019

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Thesis

Department

Pharmacy

First Advisor

Kacey Carroll

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacteria that is responsible for causing chronic gastritis, ulcers in the stomach and intestine, and eventually even gastric lymphoma or cancer. Multiple treatment options have been recommended for treating an H. pylori infection based on kidney function, previous antibiotic exposure, and whether or not the infection is recurrent. The most common regimens used at St. Vincent's primary care centers closely mimic the American College of Gastroenterology's clinical guidelines. However, these medications (clarithromycin and levofloxacin) have been associated with high rates of resistance in other countries. The United States has very limited data on H. pylori's resistance rates to these medications and there is not sufficient data to prove the efficacy of these regimens. This project aims to identify what percentage of H. pylori infections diagnosed at St. Vincent's Family Medicine and Internal Medicine clinics are being successfully treated with current, guideline-directed therapy. It also aims to obtain a general understanding of H. pylori resistance rates to clarithromycin and levofloxacin in the Indianapolis area based on treatment failure rates.

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