Urea Breath Test

Urea breath test is a common way for gastroenterologist to establish Helicobactor Pylori (HP) infection. This bacteria can reside in our stomach for many years, causing slow but definite damages to the stomach wall. The injuries include gastric ulcers, gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia; which is now considered as a pre-malignant condition. 

The main problem for this infection is that it can remain silent for many years when the injuries worsen over time. As such, early detection and eradication is recommended for any person with persistent or recurrent upper digestive symptoms.

You are advised to fast for at least 6hrs before taking the test. For a reliable test result, you should not be taking any acid suppression treatment (e.g. proton pump inhibitors) and antibiotics for the preceding 2 to 4 weeks respectively. At the test, you are required to blow into a palm-size aluminum bag before and after ingesting a small tablet (test reagent). This test takes approximately 20min to complete with no discomfort whatsoever.