GERD Flashcards
Chronic symptoms or mucosal damage produced by abnormal reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus
GERD
Prolonged periods of inflammation of the esophagus can progress to what?
Erosion of the epithelium of the esophagus
What two things can GERD be further classified as?
- NERD
- ERD
What does NERD stand for?
Non-erosive Reflux disease
What does ERD stand for?
Erosive reflux disease
What is the most frequent clinical complaint of GERD?
Heartburn
What age does GERD most commonly occur?
Ages >40
True or False: Males experience GERD more than females
False (equal)
True or false: infants can experience GERD
True
What are 5 risk factors of GERD?
- Genetic
- Obesity
- Excessive alcohol use
- Smoking
- Excessive coffee intake
What does GERD decrease? 4
- LES pressure or tone
- Clearance of gastric contents
- Mucosal resistance
- Gastric emptying
What does GERD do to gastric fluid?
Makes it extra acidic
GERD can cause a _____ hernia
Hiatal
If a patient is experiencing heartburn for _____ on a regular basis it could be GERD
> or = 2x/week
What are 4 atypical symptoms of GERD?
- Chronic cough
- Asthma like symptoms
- Laryngitis/ hoarseness
- Recurrent sore throat
What are 4 alarm symptoms of GERD that you should refer on for?
- Dysphasia
- Odynophagia
- Bleeding
- Unexplained weight loss
Trouble swallowing
Dysphasia
Odynophagia
Painful swallowing
What may the alarm symptoms be indicative of?
Barretts esophagus
What are 5 aggravating factors of GERD?
- Recumbancy (lying down)
- Increased abdominal pressure
- Decrease in gastric motility
- Decreased LES
- Direct mucosal irritation
What foods can decrease LES pressure?
- Fatty foods
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- Chocolate
- Coffee
What medications decrease LES pressure? 7
- Anticholinergics
- BZDs
- Caffeine
- DHP calcium channel blockers
- Estrogen
- Ethanol
- Nicotine