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Related terms: Heartburn, Acid reflux, Esophageal Reflux, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Pyrosis, Reflux, Heart Burn

Blog (16)

Chronic Heartburn May Boost Risk for Esophageal Cancer

Posted 9 days ago by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, May 18 – Inflammation caused by chronic heartburn may increase the risk of esophageal cancer, a new study finds. The condition – formally known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) – occurs when a muscle at the end of the esophagus doesn't close properly, allowing stomach contents to leak back into the esophagus and irritate it. GERD can lead to changes in the tissue lining the esophagus, a condition called Barrett's esophagus, often a precursor to esophageal cancer. In the study, researchers looked at nearly 34,000 GERD patients in Denmark and found that 77 percent had inflammation of the lining of the esophagus, a condition called erosive reflux disease. During an average follow-up time of 7.4 years, 0.11 percent of patients developed esophageal cancer. The incidence of esophageal cancer among GERD patients with erosive disease was much higher than that of the general ... Read more

Related support groups: GERD, Barrett's Esophagus, Esophageal Carcinoma

New Device Approved for Lingering GERD

Posted 23 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, March 23 – The LINX Reflux Management System has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who continue to have chronic symptoms, despite taking maximum medication and making recommended lifestyle changes. GERD occurs when stomach contents flow back into the esophagus, causing heartburn and potential damage to the esophagus. People with the condition are first advised to make changes such as losing weight, eating foods that are less likely to cause symptoms and eating smaller meals, the FDA said in a news release. When these steps and medication don't completely relieve chronic symptoms, the newly approved device offers another option, the agency said. It's comprised of a series of titanium beads with magnetic cores that are joined with titanium wire to form a circular shape. The device is implanted in the ... Read more

Related support groups: GERD

Acid Reflux From Chronic Heartburn May Damage Teeth

Posted 8 Mar 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, March 8 – If you have chronic heartburn, it's not only your esophagus that you should be worried about. New research reveals how the condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, can severely damage your teeth thanks to an influx of acid into the mouth. The study, which followed patients over six months, found that almost half of those with the condition suffered much worse tooth wear and erosion than healthy people. The disease can ultimately lead to thin, sharp and pitted teeth. "We hope we can raise awareness that gastroesophageal reflux disease, a condition quite common in any population, is able to cause tooth damage. Dental professionals are mostly aware of tooth erosion, but the public may not be," said study lead author Dr. Daranee Tantbirojn, an associate professor in the department of restorative dentistry at the University of Tennessee Health Science ... Read more

Related support groups: GERD, Oral and Dental Conditions

Heartburn Meds Won't Help, May Harm Kids With Asthma

Posted 24 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Jan. 24 – Children with asthma who don't have heartburn and other signs of gastroesophageal reflux don't get additional asthma control from acid-reducing medications, according to new research. And, taking these medications when there are no digestive issues increases a child's risk of developing a respiratory infection, reports the study. "There's a strong epidemiological link between acid reflux and asthma," explained study co-author Janet Holbrook, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. As a result, current asthma guidelines call for evaluating people with asthma for acid reflux, Holbrook said. Because definitive tests for excess acid production can cause children discomfort, some doctors may choose to do a trial of acid-suppressing medications called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Some common brand names ... Read more

Chronic Heartburn a Growing Problem in U.S.

Posted 5 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Jan. 5 – Heartburn and acid reflux strike many people as an annoying and painful but ultimately harmless problem – a result of overindulgence and gluttony that must be endured, much like a hangover after a night of drinking. But frequent bouts of heartburn and reflux constitute a real medical condition known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, and GERD is on the rise worldwide. "The overall prevalence is increasing over the past decades," said Dr. Ronnie Fass, a medical advisory board member for the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders who's also a professor of medicine at the University of Arizona and chief of gastroenterology at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System. The increase has occurred "not only in the United States, but in Asian countries, where GERD was unheard of," Fass said. "But we are the trailblazers. We are leading ... Read more

Related support groups: GERD, Hangover

Have Heartburn? Get Help

Posted 5 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Jan. 5 – Susan Schneck began suffering from frequent, painful heartburn in 1998. "In the evening and especially after lying down to go to sleep, I would invariably experience heartburn," Schneck said. "It was a burning. Not exactly nausea, but that same type of upward sensation, only with that burning. Like you'd had a hot drink or really, really spicy food. And once it started, it wouldn't go away." It never occurred to Schneck, now 37 and living in Madison, Wis., to go to a doctor for treatment. "I kind of knew, 'Oh, it's heartburn.' It never occurred to me it could be something worse," she said. "It also never occurred to me it could be something I could fix." Instead, she dealt with the problem by chewing antacid tablets. "I'd never done anything but take Tums," she said. "I took two Tums a day, at least. Pretty much every day I experienced symptoms, and every day I had ... Read more

Related support groups: GERD, Nexium, Esomeprazole, Nexium IV

As Obesity Rises, More Suffer From Acid Reflux

Posted 21 Dec 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 – As the obesity epidemic spreads around the world more people are suffering from acid reflux, likely increasing the number of those who will develop esophageal cancer, a new study suggests. In Norway, the prevalence of acid reflux, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), has risen almost 50 percent in the past 10 years, say researchers led by Dr. Eivind Ness-Jensen, from the HUNT Research Center's Department of Public Health and General Practice at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Levanger. The increasing number of people who are obese is "the main attributable factor," he said. Ness-Jensen said the same trend of rising GERD symptoms is happening in the United States and all Western countries. "The problem is that these symptoms are associated with adenocarcinoma of the lower esophagus," Ness-Jensen said. "What we are afraid of is ... Read more

Related support groups: Obesity, GERD

No One Treatment for Acid Reflux Clearly Better Than Another: Study

Posted 29 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Sept. 29 – Medications are effective for most patients with acid reflux disease, but some surgical options may be just as effective, according to a review of studies on current treatments for this common condition. Acid reflux disease, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, occurs when the contents of the stomach – including burning acid – chronically spill up into the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms such as a persistent cough, laryngitis and asthma. Acid reflux disease may afflict as many as 4 percent of Americans, resulting not only in a sometimes significant financial drain but also more serious long-term consequences such as esophageal cancer, according to background information in the report released Sept. 23 by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Obesity, ... Read more

9/11 Tied to Increase in Acid Reflux Disease

Posted 6 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Sept. 6 – Those who were directly exposed to the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on 9/11 appear to face an increased risk for developing long-lasting symptoms of acid reflux disease, New York City health researchers reported Tuesday. The current analysis backs up previous indications that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms are more likely to develop in those who also have asthma and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But GERD symptoms showed up independent of other health issues for people who were in the vicinity of the Twin Towers when they collapsed. The findings are reported by a team led by Jiehui Li, from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and are published in the Sept. 6 online edition of the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Prior research has already established that individuals directly exposed to the World Trade ... Read more

Related support groups: GERD

Mainstay Meds Often Cut Off Accidentally After Hospital Stay

Posted 23 Aug 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Aug. 23 – Many patients who are hospitalized fail to receive their regular medications for chronic conditions during their stay and often fail to restart them when they're discharged, researchers say. Patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) are even less likely to resume their regular medication schedule after discharge, probably because there are so many "transitions of care" to different units within the hospital and so many different care teams involved, the study found. "Sometimes we do a pretty good job of taking care of people in the hospital, but we don't do a great job of making the transition back to the community," said Dr. Chaim Bell, lead author of a study published in the Aug. 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "That can lead to whole host of problems." Unintended discontinuation of vital medications can lead to another ... Read more

Researchers Find 3 Genes Linked to Esophagus Disorders

Posted 26 Jul 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, July 26 – Mutations in three genes have been found to be more common among people with disorders of the esophagus, including esophageal cancer and Barrett esophagus (a complication of gastroesophageal reflux disease), a new study shows. The findings could help identify those at greater risk for these conditions and lead to improved treatments, researchers from the Cleveland Clinic said in the report published in the July 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Finding predisposition genes may improve premorbid risk assessment, genetic counseling and management," Dr. Charis Eng and colleagues wrote. The developments are significant because in the United States and Europe, cases of esophageal cancer have surged 350 percent over the past 40 years and Barrett esophagus (which is believed to precede the cancer) affects 10 percent of the population, the authors ... Read more

Related support groups: GERD, Barrett's Esophagus, Esophageal Carcinoma

Pills, Surgery Both Effective for Chronic Reflux: Study

Posted 17 May 2011 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, May 17 – Both surgery and popular medications such as Nexium, Prevacid or Prilosec can successfully treat the discomfort of chronic reflux, according to new research. Millions of Americans experience what's known formally as chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. The condition is caused by acidic stomach contents washing up into the esophagus. GERD can have a debilitating effect on sleep, work and general quality of life. However, "we have made very dramatic improvement in our treatment of GERD, that's the good news," said lead researcher Dr. Jean-Paul Galmiche, a professor of gastroenterology in the College of Medicine at Nantes University in France. Treatments include laparoscopic surgical fixes and the use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs such as Nexium (esomeprazole), Prilosec (omeprazole) and Prevacid (lansoprazole). The new study – which was funded by ... Read more

Related support groups: GERD

FDA Approves Nexium I.V. (Esomeprazole Sodium) for the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) With Erosive Esophagitis in Pediatric and Adolescent Patients

Posted 2 May 2011 by Drugs.com

WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 2, 2011 - AstraZeneca announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Nexium I.V. (esomeprazole sodium) for Injection for children ages greater than 1 month old for the short-term treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with erosive esophagitis when oral therapy is not possible or appropriate.1 Nexium I.V. is the first proton pump inhibitor approved for children under one year old. GERD is a condition in which the contents of the stomach back up into the esophagus.2 Erosive esophagitis, a condition associated with GERD, refers to inflammation of the esophagus that may occur after exposure to acidic reflux of stomach contents. For children and adults, symptoms of GERD often include heartburn, regurgitation and upset stomach. Common GERD symptoms in infants include irritability, vomiting, ... Read more

Related support groups: GERD, Nexium IV

Heartburn Drugs May Raise Pneumonia Risk

Posted 21 Dec 2010 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Dec. 20 – Popular heartburn drugs, including proton pump inhibitors and histamine-2 receptor antagonists, may raise the risk of pneumonia, new research finds. Researchers in Korea analyzed the results of 31 studies on heartburn drugs published between 1985 and 2009. "Our results suggest that the use of acid suppressive drugs is associated with an increased risk of pneumonia," said Dr. Sang Min Park of the department of family medicine at Seoul National University Hospital in Korea. "Patients should be cautious at overuse of acid-suppressive drugs, both high-dose and long duration," he added. Sales of these enormously popular drugs – the second best-selling category of medications worldwide – reached nearly $27 billion in the United States in 2005, according to background information in the study, published Dec. 20 in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Proton pump ... Read more

For Most, Chronic Heartburn Not a Big Risk for Esophageal Cancer

Posted 19 Dec 2010 by Drugs.com

FRIDAY, Dec. 17 – Contrary to popular belief, acid reflux disease, better known as heartburn, is not much of a risk factor for esophageal cancer for most people, according to new research. "It's a rare cancer," said study author Dr. Joel H. Rubenstein, an assistant professor in the University of Michigan department of internal medicine. "About 1 in 4 people have symptoms of GERD [acid reflux disease] and that's a lot of people," he said. "But 25 percent of people aren't going to get this cancer. No way." GERD is characterized by the frequent rise of stomach acid into the esophagus. Rubenstein said he was concerned that as medical technology advances, enthusiasm for screening for esophageal cancer will increase, though there is no evidence that widespread screening has a benefit. About 8,000 cases of esophageal cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year, he said. The study was ... Read more

Related support groups: GERD

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Nexium, omeprazole, Prilosec, Protonix, Zantac, Prevacid, Reglan, ranitidine, Pepcid, view more... Dexilant, Carafate, pantoprazole, lansoprazole, sucralfate, Tums, Aciphex, magnesium oxide, belladonna, Zegerid, calcium carbonate, famotidine, metoclopramide, Pepcid AC, Heartburn Relief, Zantac 150, rabeprazole, esomeprazole, Pepcid Complete, Mylanta, Prilosec OTC, aluminum hydroxide, Tagamet, Prevacid SoluTab, bethanechol, Oyster, Oyster Shell, Maalox, Zantac 75, Mag-Ox, Tempo, dexlansoprazole, Kapidex, nizatidine, cisapride, Urecholine, Zegerid OTC, Mag-Ox 400, Axid, Belladonna Tincture, Zantac 150 EFFERdose, Titralac Plus, Alternagel, Oysco 500, Titralac, Tagamet HB, Amphojel, Propulsid, Axid AR, Alamag, cimetidine, omeprazole/sodium bicarbonate, Protonix IV, Masanti, Maalox Max, Aldroxicon II, Aldroxicon I, Mi-Acid, Maalox Max Wild Berry, Masanti DS, Mylanta Maximum Strength, Mintox Maximum Strength, Maldroxal Plus, Mintox Extra Strength, Mintox, Uni-Lan II, Mi-Acid II, Gelusil, Mylagen-II, Almacone-2, Mintox Plus, Mylagen, Alamag Plus, Magaant, Titralac Plus Liquid, Urban, Uni-Lan, Di-Gel, Rulox Plus, Urban DS, Genaton Chewable, Leader Acid Reducer, Tums Plus, Tums Kids, Maxolon, Almacone, Alka-Seltzer Gold, Myotonachol, Alcalak, Deprizine, Fluxid, Omesec, Rulox, Taladine, Milantex, Mag-Oxide, Phillips' Cramp-free, MagGel, Marblen, MagneBind 200, MagneBind 300, Acid Gone, Alenic Alka, Maalox Max Quick Dissolve, Genaton, Acid Gone Antacid, Calcid, Mag-200, Uro-Mag, Citrocarbonate, Maalox Plus, Gaviscon-2, Alenic Alka Tablet, Gas-X with Maalox, Amilac, Axid Pulvules, Calci-Chew, Calci Mix, Mylanta AR, Pepcid RPD, Zantac EFFERdose, Zantac 300, Oyst Cal 500, Oyster Shell Calcium 500, Chooz, Tums E-X, Alkets, Equilet, Dicarbosil, Nephro Calci, Amitone, Zantac 300 GELdose, Zantac GELdose, calcium carbonate/magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate/simethicone, potassium bicarbonate/sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate/famotidine/magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide/simethicone, alginic acid/aluminum hydroxide/magnesium trisilicate, aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate/sodium citrate, sodium citrate, Zantac 25 mg EFFERdose, Nexium IV, Prevacid IV, Mag-Caps, Pepcid Oral Suspension, barberry, omeprazole/sodium bicarbonate/magnesium hydroxide, Oyster Cal 500, Calcitab, Maalox Childrens', Alu-Cap, Dialume, Maalox Regular Strength, Pepto Children's, Surpass Extra Strength, Calcium Oyster Shell, Alu-Tab, Aloh-Gel, Maldroxal, Mylanta Ultimate Strength, Mylanta Fast Acting, Tricitrasol, Citra pH, Duvoid, Citrate-Phos-Dex, Surpass, Ultra Mylanta Calci Tabs, Oyster Cal, Cal Oys, Alkums, Caltro, Calcium Concentrate, Oyster Calcium, Super Calcium, Cal-Gest, Tums Ultra, Oyst Cal, Calcium Liquid Softgel, Calcium Oyster, alginic acid/aluminum hydroxide/magnesium carbonate, Alka-Mints, Calcarb, Mylanta DS Fast Acting