Patients who experience “frequent heartburn or acid regurgitation are considered to have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), unless proven otherwise”. (Tindall, Sedrak, & Boltri, 2014, p. 181). The stomach acid or reflux causes irritation to the esophagus, which leads to GERD. (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2014, para. 1). Frequent signs and symptoms of GERD include difficulty swallowing, chest pain that radiates to the back, heartburn, sour taste in mouth, hoarseness or sore throat, sensation of a lump in your throat, or a dry cough. (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2014, para. 1). GERD can be worse or aggravated by meals and by lying down. (Tindall et al., 2014, p. 181). For acute cases …show more content…
H2 receptors can help decrease the production of acid for up to 12 hours and can provide a longer time of relief, although they don’t work as quickly as antacids do. (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2014, para. 2). Proton pump inhibitors both block the production of acid as well as help heal the esophagus. Prevacid 24 hr, Prilosec, and Zegrid are over the counter proton pump inhibitors. Long term use of prescription dose of proton pump inhibitors can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency and increased risk for bone fracture. (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2014, para. 2). If symptoms have not improved in 2-3 weeks while on medication or these medications are needed for 2-3 weeks, consult your doctor for further treatment. Sometimes GERD medications are combined to increase effectiveness. For this particular patient I would start out with lifestyle modifications which include: “sleeping with extra pillows to elevate HOB; avoid lying down, strenuous exercise, or bending down 3hrs after eating; maintain an appropriate body weight; avoid spicy, acidic, or fatty foods; avoid chocolate, peppermint, and citrus fruits and juices; Limit coffee, tea, and alcohol intake; avoid overeating; avoid eating within 3hrs of going to bed; stop smoking”. (Tindall et al., 2014, p. 182). Then use the step up approach, starting with over the counter options first as listed above. Do not use antacids
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.
When suffering from GERD, it is important to know how to adjust in order to decrease the likelihood from suffering from signs and symptoms of this disease. A person with GERD should try to figure out what kind of food triggers the reflux. There are many foods that may irritate our stomach, for example, coffee, alcohols, tomatoes, and fatty foods, however, each and every one of us may be sensitive for a particular food/beverage and once we find out what it is we have to eliminate it. It is also crucial to decrease the size of our meal. If we are prone to acid reflux, it is important that we don’t lie flat for three hours after we have eaten a meal or snack.
Commonly known as heartburn or reflux, is a condition where reflux of the gastric content into the oesophagus leads to symptoms which significantly impact a person's quality of life. Gastroesophageal reflux disease gerd is the most prevalent acid related disorder and is associated with significant impairment of health-related quality of life. Gastroesophageal reflux disease gerd occurs when acid and food in the stomach back up into the esophagus.Gerd often occurs when the lower muscle (sphincter) of the esophagus does not close properly. The sphincter normally opens to let food into the stomach. It then closes to keep food and stomach acid in the stomach. If the sphincter does not close properly, stomach acid and food back up (reflux) into the esophagus. The following may increase your risk for gerd. Gerd may be associated with several extra esophageal syndromes such as chronic cough, asthma, laryngitis, oropharyngeal ulceration and dental erosions. Available evidence indicates that therapy response rates in gerd are related to the degree of acid suppression achieved. Having an appropriate discussion with a physician is key to understanding the condition, available treatment options and the degree to which acid suppression can be achieved.
Indications: Age > 18 years and < 80 years symptomatic GERD patient for at least 6 months who having partially or complete response to medical treatment
Acid Reflux is excessive flow of gastric contents back into the esophagus. Normally, there is an occasional backflow into the esophagus with no symptoms. The acidic gastric contents, when present in large amounts, irritate the esophagus and cause the symptoms of heartburn.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is characterized by a variety of symptoms, including the common “heartburn” and acid regurgitation, as well as the not so common chest pain (unrelated to the heart), chronic cough, hoarseness, and throat irritation. It is more familiarly known as GERD and is one of the most common chronic and rapidly growing diseases of today; yet, the underlying cause is still unclear. There seem to be many different theories on what causes GERD, but the most common treatment is the Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI).
Changing your eating habits is one. You should avoid eating close to bed time and also avoid eating large meals. You should also avoid fatty and fired foods, chocolate, garlic and onions, caffeine, spicy foods, and alcoholic beverages. Obesity often worsens symptoms. Many overweight people find relief when they lose weight. Smoking cigarettes also weakens the LES. When you stop smoking that is important to reduce GERD symptoms. Although better lifestyle choices can help your doctor may recommend prescriptions or over the counter treatments. Antacids can help neutralize acid in the esophagus and stomach and stop heartburn. If you use antacids for a long time it can result in side effects such as diarrhea, altered calcium metabolism and the buildup of magnesium.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a disease of the digestive tract that can cause asthma and other complications. GERD does not affect the heart itself even though the heart can burn as a result; GERD can mimic the signs of a heart attack. This report will discuss how a prescription is not necessarily needed for treatment, medicine can be purchased OTC. This disease also affects infants and small children.
• Lose weight. Excess weight increases pressure on the stomach and helps push acid in to the esophagus.
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.
Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), commonly known as Acid Reflux, is a disease that is now affecting a lot of teenagers over the world. GERD is a heartburn caused by a leaky valve at the base of your esophagus that allows stomach acid to regurgitate (Livestrong). GERD is also caused by a bacteria found in your stomach known as Helicobacter Pylori. H. Pylori attacks the lining of your stomach and later when it has done enough damage, acidic fluid is able to get through the lining and into your esophagus, causing a heartburn (WebMD). Most people do acquire h. pylori during their childhood but most only develop its symptoms later on in life and some are never affected by the bacteria, never developing any symptoms.
First of all, explained the most frequent clinical manifestation of GERD, which is a heartburn, it occurs 30 to 60 minutes after eating. Therefore, patient should: eating smaller portions, consuming less fat, avoiding laying down for at least two hours after eating, avoiding snacks before bedtime, wearing loose clothing, elevating the head of the bed about six inches, avoiding alcohol, particularly red wine., tobacco, and foods that trigger symptoms such as black pepper, garlic, raw onions, and other spicy foods, chocolate, citrus fruits and products, such as oranges and orange juice, coffee and caffeinated drinks, including tea and soda, peppermint and tomatoes (Badillo & Francis,
GERD is a reflux disease that is triggered by a weak lower esophageal sphincter. The lower esophageal sphincter, LES, is located between the end of the esophagus and the stomach. A closed lower esophageal sphincter prevents acid and bolus from returning to the esophagus. Those diagnosed with GERD experience a weak lower esophageal sphincter, which can cause bolus and acid to travel up the esophagus, causing a heart burning sensation. Overtime, a continuous exposure to the stomach acid and bolus can cause the esophagus to erode, which may result in bleeding as well as breathing problems.
GERD is a digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter. When the lower esophageal sphincter gets weak, the acid backed up in the esophagus causing pain and discomfort. Heart burn is a common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and it is caused by the irritation of the stomach acid (DeBruyne & Pinna, 2012). This can create a burning discomfort in the upper abdomen.
Detection of periods of esophageal acidification allows for a direct diagnosis of episodes of gastro-esophageal reflux and quantification of the exposure of the distal esophagus to acid(2). For ambulatory monitoring, the basic equipment should include a data logger and an event marker to signal symptoms and other events during the period of recording. Reflux is defined as a drop in pH below 4. The number of episodes of reflux and the acid exposure time (the % of time with the pH <4) is recorded.The acid exposure time has been shown to positively correlate with the degree of mucosal damage. Although routine studies are performed with one distal pH sensor, experimental studies using multiple pH sensors allow evaluation of the proximal extent of the reflux(4). However, pH studies do not give a measurement of the volume of the reflux. Wireless pH monitoring using a capsule is a fairly recent advancement which is more tolerable to the patient, but is limited by cost.