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For about 100 years, scientists thought that peptic ulcers were caused by stress, spicy food, and alcohol. Later, researchers added stomach acid to the list of causes and began treating ulcers with antacids. Now it is known that peptic ulcers are predominantly caused by Helicobacter pylori, a spiral-shaped bacterium that normally exist in the stomach.
Malaria mortality rates are falling. Increased malaria prevention and control measures have greatly improved these rates. Since 2000, malaria mortality rates have fallen globally by 60% among all age groups, and by 65% among children under age 5.
In 1864, the first barbiturate (barbituric acid) was synthesized.
More than 2,500 barbiturates have been synthesized. At the height of their popularity, about 50 were marketed for human use.
This year, an estimated 1.4 million Americans will have a new or recurrent heart attack.