Free AAMA Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) Practice Question

The urea breath test is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure commonly used to detect the presence of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium often associated with peptic ulcers. The patient ingests a urea solution labeled with a radioactive or non-radioactive carbon isotope. If H. pylori is present, it converts the urea into carbon dioxide, which is then measured in the patient's breath to confirm infection. The stool antigen test, while also used to detect H. pylori, is less specific for active peptic ulcer disease. Blood antibody tests can only indicate exposure to H. pylori and not necessarily an active infection. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is an invasive procedure that allows direct visualization of the upper gastrointestinal tract but is typically reserved for when initial non-invasive tests are inconclusive.