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Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: asthma + reflux + gastroesophageal  Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/5/2008)

Asthma, Acid Reflux: What's the Connection? FOXNews - By Jessica Ryen Doyle When Debra Peterson tells her patients their worsening asthma symptoms may be related to gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, ... Diagnosing, Treating Acid Reflux FOXNews - Aug 1, 2008 By Jessica Ryen Doyle But for the millions of Americans who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, that saying is of little comfort. ... Uncovering the link between lungs and reflux disease Boston Globe, United States - Jul 28, 2008 BOTTOM LINE: This study for the first time provides physiological proof that gastroesophageal reflux disease is linked to asthma. CAUTIONS: The studies were ... People With GERD More Likely to Develop Asthma Washington Post, United States - Jul 25, 2008 FRIDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- The first evidence linking gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and asthma has been discovered by Duke University ... Link Found Between Asthma and GERD WebMD all 10 news articles » Oneindia How Gastric Reflux Triggers Oneindia, India - Jul 24, 2008 Researchers at Duke University Medical Center claim to have identified how GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, drives the development of asthma. ... Diagnosing non-acid reflux abc7.com, CA - Jul 31, 2008 It's the most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is often treated successfully with over-the-counter or prescription medications ... Gastroesophageal reflux-associated chronic cough in an adolescent ... 7thSpace Interactive (press release), NY - Jul 15, 2008 Although esophagography failed to disclose reflux esophagitis, esophageal pH monitoring revealed significant acid reflux. Asthma was considered well ... Reflux may trigger asthma in some United Press International - Jul 22, 2008 DURHAM, NC, July 22 (UPI) -- US researchers say they have linked gastroesophageal reflux disease -- or GERD -- to asthma. The Duke University Medical Center ... Helicobacter pylori: Friend or Foe? Medscape (subscription) - Jul 9, 2008 Seropositivity for H pylori was inversely associated with Barrett's esophagus, esophageal adenocarcinoma, and gastroesophageal reflux: OR 0.35 (95% CI: ... Ulcer bacteria may protect from asthma National Post, Canada - Jul 15, 2008 It is also consistent with the rise of asthma and esophageal diseases like GERD (gastric reflux disease) and adenocarcinoma (cancer) of the esophagus. ...

Asthma with Gastroesophageal Reflux

Asthma is a narrowing of the breathing passages of the lungs that comes and goes. It is most often caused by an allergy or by irritants that get into breathing passages. As many as 70% of patients with asthma also have symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease and abnormal pH testing. One-quarter of patients with difficult-to-control asthma have laryngopharyngeal reflux that causes no other symptoms.

Persons with the condition may experience:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing, which is breathing that can be heard along with a tight feeling in the chest

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The diagnosis of asthma is made with special breathing tests called pulmonary function tests. These tests tell the doctor if the breathing passages are narrowed. The diagnosis of asthma is made if medications that relax the breathing passages improve the pulmonary function tests and breathing.

If the doctor suspects that asthma is caused or made worse by laryngopharyngeal reflux other tests may be done.

• Laryngoscopy is used to see changes of the throat and voice box caused by laryngopharyngeal reflux.
  
• 24-hour ambulatory intra-esophageal pH testing. This is used to see if too much stomach acid is moving into the esophagus. Two pH sensors are used. One is at the bottom of the esophagus and one at the top. This lets the doctor tell if acid moves to the top of the esophagus.
  

Asthma is treated by drugs that relax the muscle of the breathing passages. Drugs also reduce swelling and/or stop the breathing passages from responding to irritation.

Asthma caused or made worse by laryngopharyngeal reflux is assessed in the same way as the latter condition.

Ways that patients may help relieve the condition include:

• Elevation of the head of the bed four to six inches
• Avoiding alcohol, chocolate and caffeine
• Avoiding overeating
• Eating or drinking nothing two to three hours before bed
• Avoiding greasy, fatty foods
• Losing weight

The doctor may suggest one or more of the following treatments:

• Antacids to offset having too much stomach acid
• Anti-secretory drugs that lower acid production by the stomach. These include two types of drugs: histamine 2 receptor blockers and proton pump inhibitors.
  
• Surgery to tighten the junction between the stomach and esophagus. The most common surgery is done by wrapping the top part of the stomach around the junction between the stomach and esophagus. It is then sewn in place.