Gird up against GERD

You can be a candidate for GERD this holiday season. GERD is the acronym for gastro-esophageal reflux disease, a condition where gastric juices containing acid travel back from the stomach to the esophagus. The result is heartburn, or a burning feeling that rises from the stomach or lower chest up to the neck. In addition, it can cause regurgitation (where food or fluid comes up to the mouth), dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing and hoarseness. Even chest pain and chronic cough may be symptoms of gird.

Apart from being aggravated by eating too much food from endless holiday binges, factors that contribute to acid reflux include fatty foods, cigarettes, chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol. Obesity and pregnancy that cause pressure on the stomach push gastric juices back into the esophagus; and a large intestine that is distended from delayed stomach emptying has the same effect.

Understandably, GERD causes much discomfort. Apart from affecting productivity at work, limiting social activities, sleeplessness, and irritability, sufferers also have to contend with fear. Specifically, chest pain brought about by a full stomach and acid reflux may lead individuals to think: “Am I having a heart attack?”

To aid in better diagnosis of GERD, research-based pharmaceutical Astra-Zeneca has partnered with the Philippine Gastroenterology Society (PSG), the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP), and the academic community to make a patient questionnaire. What is noteworthy is that the questionnaire has been “localized” and translated from English to major Philippine regional languages like Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, and Tagalog. The regional versions will be provided to primary care physicians, family physicians, and general practitioners who are at the forefront of patient care.

It must be emphasized, however that the GERD questionnaire or GERD-Q is merely a tool. “It is designed to help objectively identify patients with disruptive GERD and monitor response,” says Dr. Chinnie Tan, medical director of Astra-Zeneca Philippines. “It is not meant to replace the advice of a healthcare professional.”

But as an assessment tool developed for physicians, the challenge is not to merely translate the questionnaire but more importantly, to get it clinically correct.    

“We believe that the localized GERDQ will help GERD diagnosis not only in Metro Manila but in most regions of the Philippines as well,” says Astra-Zeneca Philippines president Amal Kelshikar. “We are privileged to partner with the PSG, PAFP, and the academe in improving patient care in the Philippines, and this partnership shows our commitment to caring for Filipino patients.”

 Do you have GERD? Think of the past week, count the frequency of symptoms by the number of days and answer the following questions: How often did you have a burning feeling behind your breastbone (heartburn)? How often did you have stomach contents (liquid or food) moving upwards to your throat or mouth (regurgitation)? How often did you have pain in the center of the upper stomach?; How often did you have nausea? How often did you have difficulty getting a good night’s sleep because of your heartburn and/or regurgitation? How often did you take additional medication for your heartburn and/or regurgitation other than what the physician told you to take?

But while the GERD questionnaire is easy to answer, there should be no attempt made to self-medicate. It is always best to consult your doctor. That chest pain may really be GERD. But it could also be a symptom of something more serious.