Urea breath test
This examination is performed to determine whether your stomach complaints are being caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. It is also used to determine the effect of the treatment against Helicobacter pylori bacteria.
Preparation
- To ensure the examination goes as it should, it is important that you have an empty stomach when you come to the hospital. This means that you may not eat, drink or smoke for eight hours before the examination.
- Acid-reducing medication should be discontinued for 14 days. For more information about this, please contact your doctor.
- If you have had treatment against Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the past, this treatment must be stopped at least seven weeks beforehand.
- If you take antibiotics, these should be discontinued at least four weeks beforehand.
The examination
The examination takes an average of 15 minutes and consists of two measurements.
- You are asked to blow into a bag on an empty stomach.
- After this, you are given a little orange juice, in which Urea is dissolved (+/-40ml). After 10 minutes, you blow into the bag a second time.
After the examination
The results are not available immediately. They will be discussed with you during a subsequent consultation.
If the examination was requested by a doctor outside UZ Brussel, the results are sent on. Allow two weeks for this.