Premise
In medicine, gastroesophageal reflux is the term used to indicate the abnormal ascent, in the esophagus, of the acid content of the stomach.
When the phenomenon of reflux goes from being a normal (episodic) event to becoming a chronic disorder, it means that a more complex condition is underway, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is caused by the malfunction of the cardia, that is the valve located between the esophagus and the stomach, which prevents the upwelling of the food present in the stomach.
The conditions that favor the onset of GERD include: obesity, cigarette smoking, alcoholism, pregnancy, hiatal hernia, asthma, excessive consumption of fatty foods, constant intake of certain medicines (eg anxiolytics, anticholinergics, etc.), stress and gastroparesis.
Care and Treatment
Treatment of chronic gastroesophageal reflux generally involves lifestyle modification combined with drug therapy.
If the aforementioned drug therapy proves to be ineffective, or impossible to sustain due to an "incapacity of the patient, there is the possibility of resorting to surgical therapy with a laparoscopic approach.
