Certain medications that may affect the test need to be excluded, for up to 30 days before the test. A small dose containing Carbon-13 Urea (13C urea) is taken by mouth, and a breath sample is collected 30 minutes later. The test is not radioactive and can be performed on children, or pregnant women.
Nobel-Prize-winning research in Western Australia has recently (within the last 10-15 years) identified Helicobacter pylori as a major treatable cause of ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, and to a lesser extent gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining). Symptoms of these conditions include upper abdominal pain, particularly pain where the timing is related to food or lack of food, and nausea or vomiting. Heartburn or acid reflux is a similar symptom that is less consistently related to gastritis and H pylori as a cause.
A POSTIVE Urea Breath Test for Helicobacter pylori means that the bacterium is present within the stomach, and may therefore be the cause of upper abdominal symptoms. H pylori eradication therapy may be prescribed by your doctor to kill the bacterium and therefore allow healing to occur.
A NEGATIVE Urea Breath Test for Helicobacter pylori means that the bacterium probably is not present within the stomach, although it is possible for so-called false negatives to occur when certain medications are not witheld before the test.
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