Internal Medicine
Heartburn

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease "GERD" When the muscle "sphincter" at the lower end of the esophagus is malfunctioning, acid from the stomach may reflux into the esophagus causing heart burn. In addition, it may cause injury to the lining of the esophagus.This is called Gastro Esophageal Reflux disease or"GERD". Heartburn is the symptomatic outcome of GERD and is more specific For this diagnosis than most investigations. This is why, careful taking of the patient's history in the cornerstone of reliable diagnosis. Sometimes other symptoms may be the presenting symptoms of GERD , like chronic sore throat , cough and chest pain. The prevalence of daily reflux in the population is high (4-9%).When individuals who experience reflux at least once per week are considered, the prevalence reaches 20%. In most patients GERD is not a transient disease, and symptoms can persist for years.This is why the effect of GERD on quality of life is considerable. Endoscopy Upper endoscopy is the "gold standard" procedure in patients with GERD. Damage to the mucosa " the lining of the esophagus" can be detected easily by the endoscope. Barrett's esophagus is the name of the condition when the lining of the stomach creeps to cover the lower part of the esophagus that was injured by the reflux of acid. This Barrett's esophagus is important because in some people it may change over the time into cancer. That's why early detection and follow up of reflux disease is important. Measurement of acid reflux in the esophagus Sometimes when your doctor is in doubt that you have GERD particularly when endoscopy does not reveal changes induced by reflux , he may ask you to have your 24 hours acid reflux measured through a thin tube put on your stomach through the nose. This test is recommended also if surgery is planned for GERD, as the pre-operative and post-operative data may then be compared . So, if you have acid reflux symptoms particularly if it more than once a week, you have to visit your doctor and he will decide the suitable line for your management .

Copyrights Dr. Hatem ElKhabiry 2000    All Rights Reserved

2000 جميع حقوق الطبع والنشر محفوظة للدكتور حاتم الخبيري لعام