Acid Reflux Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Acid Reflux, including details on diet, gerd (gastro-esophageal reflux disease), treatment, symptoms.

Evaluation of esophageal function/pH in endoscopic therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Johnson DA

Department of Gastroenterology, Eastern Virginia School of Medicine, 700 W. Olney Road, Norfolk, VA 23501, USA. dajevms@aol.com

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) typically requires lifelong medical therapy or surgery for the management of patients with frequent symptoms. The current standard of care is to prescribe medical therapy using proton pump inhibitors. Patients with moderate-to-severe GERD require extended/maintenance therapy. Until recently, the only alternative to this approach was surgical intervention. Endoscopic therapy for GERD has emerged as a second alternative strategy. Primary endpoints for all interventions have aimed at symptomatic control and reduction/discontinuance of medication use. For surgical and endoscopic therapies, however, there are other physiologic endpoints that have attempted to define changes in lower esophageal sphincter pressure and esophageal acid exposure. For patients being evaluated for endoscopic GERD therapy, the author recommends comprehensive esophageal testing and pH testing.

Published 21 February 2005 in Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am, 15(2): 333-45.
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