Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or GORD is frequently used as a broad term to refer to a number of digestive disorders or a broad spectrum of oesophageal complaints. However, it may be more useful to consider GORD as two distinct entities with a number of different subsets that have different causes and require different treatment approaches.
One entity of GORD is classic severe acid reflux with erosive oesophagitis and its complications. This is also known as erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or erosive GORD.
Erosive GORD occurs when stomach acid moves in the wrong direction, flowing back up (
reflux) into your oesophagus, causing discomfort. Over time, reflux of acid may erode the lining of the oesophagus, leading to inflammation and ulcers. This is called Barrett's oesophagus, a condition where abnormal cells develop on the inner lining of the oesophagus. Long-term, this disease has been linked to adenocarcinoma or cancer of the lining of the oesophagus.
The second entity is symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. This is also known as non-erosive reflux disease, with minimal or no oesophagitis or inflammation of the lower end of the oesophagus or gullet. Symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease refers to a presence of typical symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux, but the wearing away process cannot be seen during an endoscopy.
Patients with symptomatic GORD do not tend to develop local mucosal complications, but the symptoms can be as severe as those experienced with erosive oesophagitis.
causes of reflux>>
Item code: NPR/08-0057
Date of Preparation: August 2009
