Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Essay

Ms. Le is a 25 year-old female, with a height of 5’0” and weights 160 lbs. She described herself as not very active who does not regularly exercise and consumes a high amount of fast food and a few alcoholic beverages weekly. She is currently taking prescription medication called Caziant as a contraceptive and moderately takes ibuprofen for headaches and heartburns. She has a medical history of vomiting, heartburn, chest pains, and sever tooth erosion. Due to the many examinations that Ms. Le underwent such as the endoscopy and ph-monitoring test, she was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease also known as GERD.

This condition is characterized by symptoms and complications that result from reflux or back of gastric content into the esophagus that extent also into the oral cavity or even the lungs. Common signs and symptoms of this condition include heartburn( burning/stinging), and does note that radiates to the back such as in the case of Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD). Furthermore, other symptoms patients may experience are a chronic cough, bronchospasm, chest pain not related to a cardiomyopathy, hoarseness, early satiety, abdominal fullness, bloating with belching. Complications related to this disorder are closely linked to esophageal ulceration, hematemesis, melena, stricture development(Dains, Baumann, & Scheibel,

Antacids are medicines that can be bought over-the-counter which are taken by mouth and can help to quickly relieve acidic refluxes in the body.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antacid The major symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), are taste of acid, bad breath, chest pains, etc. GERD is a long term condition where stomach contents come back up into the esophagus. Complications include esophageal strictures and Barrett’s esophagus.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastroesophageal_reflux_disease An Esophageal Stricture is a narrowing or tightening of the esophagus that causes swallowing difficulties.

Gastroschisis is a condition that requires surgical repair and is associated with feeding difficulties and

GERD disease, commonly referred to as GERD or acid reflux, is a condition in which the liquid content of the stomach regurgitates (backs up or refluxes) into the esophagus. The liquid can inflame and damage the lining (esophagitis) although visible signs of inflammation occur in a minority of patients. The regurgitated liquid usually contains acid and pepsin that are produced by the stomach. (Pepsin is an enzyme that begins the digestion of proteins in the stomach.) The refluxed liquid also may contain bile that has backed-up into the stomach from the duodenum. The first part of the small intestine attached to the stomach. Acid is believed to be the most injurious component of the refluxed liquid.

GERD is known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. It is best defined as a back flow of gastric or duodenal contents or both into the esophagus and past the lower esophageal sphincter. It can cause acute epigastric pain (heartburn). The pathophysiology of GERD is multifactorial, involving transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations and other lower esophageal sphincter pressure abnormalities. As a result, reflux of acid, bile, pepsin and pancreatic enzymes occur, leading to esophageal mucosal injury (Gastroesophageal Reflux disease, long-term care, 2017). The degree of mucosal injury is based on the amount and concentration of refluxed gastric acid, proteolytic enzymes and bile acids. Due to the lower esophageal sphincter being dysfunctional, the esophageal motility is slowed, leading to decreased clearance of acidic material.

As we get older, it gets harder for the valve to close tightly due to a weakened diaphragm. So this allows acid and partially digested food to splash back into the esophagus. As such, continues occurrence of reflux would result to the gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Gastro for the gastric system, and esophageal for the esophagus.3 The hole can also increase in size leading to the formation of a hiatus.1 When this happens, part of the stomach bulges through the hole leading to the hiatal hernia which

indicated that a smoking history and obesity put patients at increased risk of developing this

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.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a symptomatic condition or a histopathologic alteration thought to be secondary to a reflux of gastric contents that enter the lower esophagus. There are treatment options to help patients with the symptoms of GERD. Although the treatments prove to help relieve the symptoms of GERD, some question their overall effect on the body and whether or not they are safe to take. Recent studies are suggesting herbal formulas may have the best treatment outcome.

Heartburn is actually a symptom of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), and is caused by acid refluxing back into the esophagus. Risk factors include those that increase the production of acid in the stomach, as well as structural problems that allow acid reflux into the esophagus.

Indications: Age > 18 years and < 80 years symptomatic GERD patient for at least 6 months who having partially or complete response to medical treatment

Gastroesophageal reflux is considered a normal physiological process in healthy infants, children and adults. Most episodes last less that 3 minutes and most occur 30-60 min after meals and with reclining positions. GERD is present when the symptoms, more than twice a week, cause troublesome symptoms or complication (Cash, 2011, pp. 200). These complications can occur with severe, frequent, and persistent acid reflux causing inflammation, ulcers, and scarring. GERD can also lead to changes in the cells lining the esophagus, known as Barrett's esophagus, these changes raise the risk of esophageal cancer.

Gastroesophageal reflux is the most common gastrointestinal disorder of the western world. Gallup poles have elucidated that approximately 44 % of the adult population in the U.S. has some abnormal reflux of acidic gastric juices into the esophagus on a monthly basis. Roughly 10% of patients require daily acid suppression medication for relief of symptoms. GERD accounts for over 1.0 million out patient visits to physicians every year! Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not close properly, and stomach contents splash back, or reflux, into the esophagus. The LES is a ring of muscle located at the far end of the esophagus as

Many people have a hiatal hernia with no symptoms. The larger the hernia, the more likely that you will have symptoms. In some cases, a hiatal hernia allows stomach acid to flow back into the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach (esophagus). This may cause heartburn symptoms. Severe heartburn symptoms may mean that you have developed a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).