Breath tests are simple, noninvasive alternatives, which are considered harmless for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), lactose intolerance (1), and inflammatory bowel disease (2). In Brazil, the acquisition of 13C-urea from abroad is challenging; however, with the support of the Division of Pharmacy, 13C-urea breath tests were routinely performed in clinical practice (3). Patients using anticoagulant drugs, with low platelets count, cardiac impairment that contraindicates endoscopy, or those who did not want to undergo upper gastrointestinal endoscopy had the benefit of undergoing 13C-urea breath tests for H. pylori infection diagnosis, instead.
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