Heartburn

Many people are familiar with the unpleasant or even painful feeling of burning and discomfort behind the sternum, which occurs after eating fried, spicy or fatty foods. Heartburn can also be facilitated by stress, alcohol, smoking, overeating, that is, life partners typical of many.

According to 2017 data, from 20% to 40% of the population of developed countries suffer from heartburn. ^[1]

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

If heartburn regularly makes itself felt, it can be a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which results from regularly throwing stomach contents into the esophagus and requires timely diagnosis and competent treatment.

According to international studies for 2020, the prevalence of GERD reaches 40% among the adult population in the world, and in Russia it affects from 18% to 46% of the adult population, and the incidence rate is growing. GERD is called a disease of modern civilization or a diagnosis of a "Western lifestyle."

Typical manifestations of GERD:

• frequent heartburn,
• burping and
• difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)

are able to cause serious discomfort to a person, reduce his quality of life.

Also, in some cases, prolonged GERD can lead to complications such as mucosal damage (esophagitis) and cancer (adenocarcinoma) of the esophagus. Therefore, if this symptomatology is observed systematically, it is recommended to consult a specialist.

Heartburn medicines

2024

Cancer-causing carcinogens have been found in the popular heartburn drug GSK. The manufacturer admitted this and will pay $2.2 billion

In mid-October 2024, British drugmaker GSK announced that it would pay up to $2.2 billion to settle claims related to the development of cancer after using the now discontinued popular heartburn drug Zantac. Read more here.

Heartburn drug Zantac causes cancer. Sanofi to pay $100M to settle 4,000 claims

Sanofi will pay more than $100 million to settle about 4,000 lawsuits accusing the French drugmaker of failing to warn users that its heartburn drug Zantac could cause cancer.

World Healthy Digestion Day

Every year, at the end of May, World Healthy Digestion Day is celebrated, established in 1958 at the initiative of the World Organization of Gastroenterologists. Its aim is to draw attention to the problems of digestive impairment and to raise public awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of digestive tract diseases. Spend this day with benefits for your health and check if you have problems in this area.