Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disorder which affects millions of Americans annually and is one of the most common reasons for patients to seek medical advice or self-medicate with over-the-counter antacid medications for relief of symptoms. Gastroesophageal reflux disease may manifest in many different ways with heartburn being the most common symptom. Most patients who experience heartburn describe a discomfort in the chest or abdomen that may or may not be associated with ingestion of food. More recent evidence implicates GERD as a contributing factor to other disorders such as laryngitis and asthma. Complications that may be associated with chronic GERD include:

• Esophageal scarring or stricture
• Bleeding resulting from ulceration or erosion of the esophagus
• Barrett's esophagus - abnormal changes in the lining of the esophagus that increases the risk for developing a type of cancer called adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

Individuals with occasional, mild symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may not require any specific evaluation and may be candidates for direct treatment. Patients with regular symptoms of GERD (weekly symptoms or symptoms on a consistent basis) or patients with heartburn associated with difficulty in swallowing, weight loss, anemia or bleeding need to be evaluated on a more aggressive basis.

In general, the following diagnostic techniques may be used for evaluating patients with symptoms of GERD:

• Upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy
• Esophageal ambulatory 24-hour pH monitoring
• Esophageal manometry
• Radiological studies (x-rays)

The primary goals of treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are as follows:

• Relieve symptoms of the disease
• Heal esophagitis - inflammation of the esophagus caused by acid reflux
• Prevent complications of GERD
• Prevent relapse of disease once the patient is in remission

In general, the following treatment options are available for the management of patients with GERD:

• Lifestyle modifications
• Medical (drug) therapy
• Endoscopic antireflux therapy
• Gastroesophageal reflux surgery

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• What are the risk factors of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease?
• What standard and alternative treatment options are available?
• Where are the leading doctors, hospitals and medical centers that specialize in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease research and treatment?
• What are the results of the latest clinical trials?
• Where are the support groups and additional resources in my area?
• What are the promising new treatments on the horizon?

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