Topic: HeartburnWhat is it ?
The heartburn is a severe acid indigestion. Heartburn is virtually always due to
reflux of acidic gastric contents into the esophagus
Heartburs sufferers get headaches
and body aches often. And they also don't get enough sleep.
Whether due to fast food, obesity, and/or loss of protective Helicobacter pylori
(the latter is controversial), heartburn seems to be reaching epidemic proportions
|
|
Epidemiology
High heartburn prevalence has led to substantial use of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.
Approximately 20% of adults in the United States suffer from heartburn or acid regurgitation at least once weekly,
with an additional 20% experiencing less frequent episodes.
Frequent heartburn may restrict normal activities
and lead to significant decrements in health-related quality of life.
Risk factors for frequent reflux symptoms include obesity and a positive family history. There may be a genetic
predisposition for gastroesophageal reflux. Eradication of H pylori infection may or may not promote
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) onset or exacerbation.
It has been argued that heartburn as often as twice weekly could indicate a serious pathological process
(thus converting the perception of a mild malady amenable to self-management to a presumably life-threatening
disease). However, the heartburn frequency and severity of do not correlate with presence or extent of
esophageal mucosal injury, a traditional hallmark of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Even very
frequent heartburn (5 or more episodes per week) can be
associated with insignificant pathology and a benign prognosis.
|
