These ulcers can be caused by shock, sepsis, trauma or other conditions and are found in patients with chronic illnesses.
[citation needed] Risk factors for stress ulcer formation that have been identified are numerous and varied.
The former may cause diffuse mucosal oozing of blood, whereas the latter may erode into a submucosal vessel and produce frank hemorrhage.
They range in depth from mere shedding of the superficial epithelium (erosion) to deeper lesions that involve the entire mucosal thickness (ulceration).
[citation needed] Stress ulcer can be diagnosed after the initial management of gastrointestinal bleeding, the diagnosis can be confirmed by upper GI endoscopy.
[10] Concerns with the use of stress ulcer prophylaxis agents include increased rates of pneumonia and Clostridioides difficile colitis.
[11] It is believed that shunting blood away from the mucosa makes the mucous membrane ischaemic and more susceptible to injury.
Careful attention to respiratory status, acid-base balance, and treatment of other illnesses help prevent the conditions under which stress ulcers occur.