Helicobacter pylori eradication - an update on the latest therapies.

BACKGROUND The eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) can be challenging in certain circumstances. There is no current first-line therapy that is curative in all patients. OBJECTIVE This article summaries the role of emerging novel therapies in the treatment of 
H. pylori. Known as sequential therapy and salvage therapy, these new therapeutic strategies are thought to produce eradication rates superior to currently recommended first-line therapies. This article outlines the growing body of evidence supporting their efficacy. DISCUSSION Sequential therapy and salvage therapy have emerged recently as alternative regimens for the eradication of H. pylori. Although current guidelines continue to recommend established therapies for first-line management of H. pylori, general practitioners should be aware of these new strategies such that these options could be applied when traditional therapy fails.