preview

Barret's Esophagus: Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease

Good Essays

Barret’s Esophagus is a serious complication of GERD, in which stands for Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease. With Barret’s esophagus normal tissue lining the esophagus; the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach changes to tissue that resembles the lining of the intestine, this process is called intestinal metaplasia ("Barret's esophagus: Symptoms," 2005). Patients who are diagnosed with Barret’s esophagus are at an increase risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the esophagus and can be fatal. The cause of Barret’s esophagus is unknown. Barret’s esophagus is very rare and affects only about 1%-6.8% of people. The average age of diagnose is around the age of 55, and more men develop Barret’s esophagus twice as often as women would ("Barret's esophagus- national," 2013). Also more Caucasian men get diagnosed more than men of other races, and Barret’s esophagus is not commonly seen in children. People who are diagnosed with GERD have a 5-10% chance to develop Barret’s esophagus. Researches did find that patients who are diagnosed with heartburn are 5-15% more likely to end up getting diagnosed with Barret’s esophagus, it is sometimes hard to diagnose for Barret’s esophagus because it is rare. Most people with acid reflux don’t develop Barret’s esophagus. Patients with frequent acid reflux; cells that are similar to cells in the intestine to become Barret’s esophagus may eventually replace the normal cells in the esophagus. The

Get Access