Stomach Flu

The acid in your stomach is the real thing — powerful enough to burn a hole in this page.
Typically, the stomach produces 1 to 2 quarts of gastric juices a day. Too much can lead to indigestion, gas, heartburn and sour stomach — the kinds of symptoms that keep many of us up and uncomfortable […]

Without clear, consistent terminology or a ‘gold standard’ for diagnosis, primary care physicians face uncertainty when making disease management decisions about patients presenting with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
The Montreal Definition and Classification of GERD, published in 2006, provides an evidence-based and globally applicable definition, and supports a patient-centred and symptom-driven approach to the […]

Summary text
While GERD symptoms are generally considered to be caused by acid reflux, data indicate that other mechanisms, such as weakly acidic reflux, bile, reflux volume and esophageal distension may play a role. Baclofen therapy and surgical or endoscopic procedures have been shown to reduce weakly acidic reflux.
Key findings
Mechanisms other than acid reflux are involved […]

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During 4 years of observation, as part of the ProGERD cohort study, the majority of patients with GERD were receiving long-term treatment with a PPI. Continuous PPI treatment was more common than on-demand PPI treatment. The proportion of patients taking PPIs remained constant during 4 years of observation.
Key findings
Over 70% of GERD patients in […]

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This study found that the GERD Impact Scale (GIS) has good psychometric properties, with most physicians reporting that it facilitated clinical decision making. By helping patient–physician communication, the GIS will therefore be a useful aid for managing patients with GERD in the primary care setting.
Key findings
The GIS is a simple communication tool with good […]

Highlights of the month
Effect of baseline symptom severity on patient-reported outc…
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Responsiveness of measures of heartburn improvement in non-e…
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Unspecified abdominal pain in primary care: the role of gast…
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To read previously published GERD updates
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When used in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) before and after 4 […]

Summary text
This article reviews the available literature on the factors contributing to the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The author concludes that the pathophysiology of GERD is multifactorial, and abnormalities in the gastroesophageal junction, the stomach, the esophagus and the nervous system may lead to development of the disease.
Key findings
The pathophysiology of GERD is […]

Summary text
The findings of this case-control study reveal a strong association between anxiety or depression and GERD symptoms that is independent of recognised risk factors such as gender, obesity and smoking.
Key findings
The presence of anxiety or depression was associated with an increased risk of GERD symptoms that was independent of other risk factors for reflux.The […]

Summary text
This article supports the favourable safety of long-term PPI therapy in a paediatric patient population, who received continuous therapy for up to 11 years.
Key findings
Among 166 children receiving continuous PPI therapy for up to 11 (median 3) years, drug-related adverse events were rare and occurred in only 4 patients (2.4%).Omeprazole was the most commonly […]

Key findings
Few patients with GERD are referred for endoscopy near the time of diagnosis.Factors associated with referral include male gender, increased age and a history of peptic ulcer disease. Endoscopic findings consistent with esophageal disease were more likely to be found in men, older patients, and those with previous peptic ulcer disease or gastrointestinal bleeding.Extended […]