C13 Urea Breath Test Manchester Royal Infirmary Division PROOF

PROOF

Introduction

You have been referred by your General Practitioner (GP) or your hospital consultant to our department for a C13 Urea breath test.

This test is used to check if you 2) Endoscopy – this is where a have a germ in the stomach called camera is put down the throat Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori). and into the stomach. While H. Pylori is known to cause stomach inside the stomach, tiny tissue ulcers and can also cause symptoms samples are taken from the such as heartburn and pain. stomach lining. These samples are examined using a rapid Why do I need this test? urease test called a CLO test. 3) C13 Urea Breath Test. It is possible that your symptoms are caused by H. Pylori, so your Preparing for your test consultant has asked for this test to check: Before we can perform the test, a) Whether you have this bacteria. you need to: b) Whether antibiotic treatment 1) Call the department on (0161) already given for this infection 276 4612 if you have taken any has been successful. antibiotics in the last 4 weeks. 2) Stop any antacid tablets How do we test for H. Pylori? e.g. Omeprazole (Losec), Lansoprazole (Zoton), There are 3 ways to test for H. Pylori: Pantoprazole (Protium), 1) Blood test – this is only if you Rabeprazole (Parriet), have never had H. pylori infection Esomeprazole (Nexium) before. for 2 weeks before the test. Page 2 C13 Urea Breath Test 3) Stop any indigestion remedies You can eat and drink as normal e.g. Gaviscon,PROOF Rennies, Zantac, following the test and can resume Ranitidine, Nizatidine, Pepcid for taking any medication (if you had 2 days (48 hours) before the test. to stop). There are no known side 4) Fast (no food or drink) for 6 effects to this test. hours before the test. What happens next? If you do not follow the preparation, the test results will The breath samples will be sent not be accurate and we will have to a laboratory off-site for to re-arrange your test. analysis and the results will be sent to your referring doctor. What will the test involve? • If the result is positive for H. Pylori, your doctor will prescribe • You will be greeted by a member a course of antibiotics. of staff and taken into a clinic • If the result is negative for H. room. You will be asked some Pylori, your doctor will write to simple health questions before inform you of the results. we start the test. • You will then be asked to blow Any questions? through a straw into 2 test tubes. • After these breath samples are If you have any questions please taken, you will be given 2 drinks. contact us using the details below. The first will be 1g citric acid in Department of Gastroenterology, 200ml water, the second will be Heptatology and GI Investigations the test meal of urea powder in 2nd Floor Nowgen Building water. Manchester Royal Infirmary • After these drinks, you will be Oxford Road asked to wait for 30 minutes. Manchester M13 9WL You cannot have anything to eat 0161 276 4612 or drink whilst you are waiting. • After 30 minutes, you will blow You can also read about this test at into another 2 test tubes and the following website: that is the end of the test. www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Peptic- ulcer/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx

C13 Urea Breath Test Page 3 No Smoking Policy Translation and PROOFInterpretation Service Please protect our patients, visitors and staff by adhering to our no It is our policy that family, relatives or smoking policy. Smoking is not friends cannot interpret for patients. permitted in any of our hospital Should you require an interpreter ask a buildings or grounds, except in member of staff to arrange it for you. the dedicated smoking shelters in the grounds of our Hospital site.

For advice and support on how to give up smoking, go to www.nhs.uk/smokefree.

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TIG 162/14 Produced October 2017 Review Date October 2019 (SF Taylor CM15907)

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