, If you do not have symptoms — H. pylori testing is usually not recommended if you have no symptoms and no past history of peptic ulcer disease. However, it may be considered for selected people, such as those with a family history or concern about stomach cancer, particularly individuals of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or Central American descent; these groups have a higher incidence of stomach cancer
If you have symptoms — Diagnostic testing for H. pylori infection is recommended if you have active gastric or duodenal ulcers or if you have a past history of ulcers.
Although H. pylori infection is the most common cause of ulcers, not all patients with ulcers have H. pylori. Certain medications (eg, aspirin, ibuprofen [Motrin, Advil], naproxen [Aleve]) can also cause peptic ulcers