Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

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Do you have GERD? The esophagus is the tube that carries food from the throat
to the stomach. The stomach makes acid to digest the food.
Sometimes the acid can back up into the esophagus. This
can cause symptoms such as heartburn or even a sour taste
in your mouth. When it happens often and over a long
period of time, it is called GERD. Many people have heartburn once in awhile. Others have
GERD that is not too bad. They can keep it under control
by lifestyle changes. Antacids or other over-the-counter
medicines can also help. This information is for people who have more severe
GERD and are being treated by a doctor or other health
care provider. Take this information with you when you
and your provider decide how to treat your GERD. What kinds of medicines can I take for GERD? Most medicines to treat GERD work to lower the acid level
in the stomach. The two main types of prescription
medicines are: H2 receptor antagonists, or H2RAs. Examples are Axid,
Pepcid, Tagamet, and Zantac. Proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs. Examples are AcipHex,
Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec OTC, and Protonix. Generic
omeprazole is also available. The PPIs work better than the H2RA medicines in treating
GERD. But PPIs are more likely to cause side effects such
as headache or diarrhea. Studies show that, overall, each PPI works about as well as
another for relieving symptoms. Can surgery help? Surgery can be performed to treat GERD. In the surgery,
the top part of the stomach is wrapped around the lower
part of the esophagus. This helps to keep acid from washing
up from the stomach. The common side effects of surgery are difficulty
swallowing and bloating. Rare but more serious problems
can occur. Prescription medicines alone work about as well as surgery
for relieving symptoms. Some people who have surgery still
need to take medicine. What about the new endoscopic procedures? An endoscope is a tube that goes through the mouth into the
esophagus. Using this scope, doctors can treat the lower
part of the esophagus to improve how it works. These
nonsurgical procedures are somewhat new. There is not
enough scientific evidence yet to talk about how well they
work. For more information These findings come from a report that compares
treatments for GERD. You can find the report at
www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov. You can find more information on GERD at
www.healthfinder.gov. It will give you links to Web sites
about health from many government and nonprofit groups. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) AHRQ Pub. No. 06-EHC003-A December 2005 Advancing Excellence in Health Care www.ahrq.gov Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Effective
Health Care Comparing Health Care Choices

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