Achlorhydria
| Achlorhydria | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Hypochlorhydria |
| Hydrogen chloride (major component of gastric acid) | |
| Pronunciation |
|
| Specialty | Internal medicine |
| Symptoms | Most of the time none, but may cause and not limited to, epigastric pain, other abdominal pain, unintentional weight loss, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, early satiety |
| Complications | Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, nutrient deficiencies, gastric adenocarcinoma (rare), gastric carcinoid tumor (rare) |
| Causes | Pernicious anemia, helicobacter pylori infection, hypothyroidism, gastric bypass surgery, VIPoma, chronic PPI use, gastric cancer, (rarely) radiotherapy |
| Treatment | Addressing underlying cause and managing SIBO and nutrient deficiencies |
Achlorhydria and hypochlorhydria are states where the production of hydrochloric acid in gastric secretions of the stomach is absent or low, respectively. Achlorhydria is commonly a complication of some other disease, such as chronic Helicobacter pylori infection or autoimmune pernicious anemia, as well as a possible side effect of long-term use of proton pump inhibitors.
Complications of achlorhydria most frequently include small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and the nutritional deficiencies that can result from it. Rarely, achlorhydria may contribute to formation of gastric cancers or gastric carcinoid tumors.