A Patient Presents at the Walk-In Clinic Complaining of Recurrent

A patient presents at the walk-in clinic complaining of recurrent sharp stomach pain that is relieved by eating. The nurse suspects that the patient may have an ulcer. How would the nurse explain the formation and role of acid in the stomach to the patient?

A) Hydrochloric acid is secreted by glands in the stomach in response to the actual or anticipated presence of food.
B) As digestion occurs in the stomach, the stomach combines free hydrogen ions from the food to form acid.
C) The body requires an acidic environment in order to synthesize pancreatic digestive enzymes; the stomach provides this environment.
D) The acidic environment in the stomach exists to buffer the highly alkaline environment in the esophagus.