A 49-year-old female taking ibuprofen for increasing joint pain in her hands presents with increasing pain in her midsternal area. Gastroscopy reveals multiple, scattered, punctate hemorrhagic areas in her gastric mucosa. Biopsies from one of these hemorrhagic lesions reveal mucosal erosions with edema and hemorrhage. No mucosal ulceration is seen.

Gastritis is a nonspecific term that describes any inflammation of the gastric mucosa. Acute gastritis refers to the clinical situation of gastric mucosal erosions (not mucosal ulcers). Acute gastritis is also known as hemorrhagic gastritis or acute erosive gastritis. Acute gastritis is associated with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and coicosteroids, and also with alcohol, chemotherapy, ischemia, shock, and even severe stress. Two types of stress ulcers are Curling's ulcers, seen in patients with severe burns, and Cushing's ulcers, seen in patients with intracranial lesions. Grossly acute gastritis appears as multiple, scattered, punctate (less than 1 cm) hemorrhagic areas in the gastric mucosa. This is helpful in differentiating acute gastritis from peptic ulcers, which tend to be solitary and larger. Microscopically the gastric mucosa from a patient with acute gastritis is likely to reveal mucosal erosions, scattered neutrophils, edema, and possibly hemorrhage. Acute gastritis. Erosion and complete effacement of the epithelium is observed. The residual glands, on the left, display regenerative changes with basophilic epithelium. Reference: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 9edition