Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0017168 (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
11,783 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are superior to histamine-2 receptor antagonists for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and erosive esophagitis. Antisecretory therapy (AST), however, accounts for significant cost expenditure in the United States including over-the-counter and prescription formulations. Moreover, emerging data illustrate the potential risks associated with long-term PPI therapy including variations in bioavailability of common medications, vitamin B12 deficiency, Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, community-acquired pneumonia, and hip fracture. For these reasons, it is imperative to use the lowest dose of drug necessary to achieve desired therapeutic goals. This may entail the use of step-down, step-off, or on-demand PPI therapy for the treatment of GERD. In addition, PPIs are the most commonly used medications for stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP), despite little evidence to support their use. Compounding this problem is evidence that patients erroneously administered SUP are often discharged on long-term PPI therapy. Pharmacy-driven step-down orders, limitation of the use of PPIs for SUP in non-ICU settings, and meticulous chart review to ensure that hospitalized patients are not discharged home on a PPI without an appropriate indication are interventions that can ensure proper PPI utilization with minimal of risk and optimization of cost-effectiveness.
...
PMID:Overutilization of proton pump inhibitors: a review of cost-effectiveness and risk [corrected]. 1926 44

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease is a chronic, long standing disease. Spontaneous remission of GERD is rare and conservative management including life style modification measures is unlikely to relieve symptoms. Majority of patients with reflux disease require long-term acid suppressants. Proton pump inhibitors are the choice of drugs in management of these patients. The end point of treatment is not clear. Duration of treatment is individual based. The symptoms may be intermittent or on most days of the week. The treatment is therefore either a short course which may be for 8 to 12 weeks or 6 months, or continuous, intermittent or 'on-demand' basis. The maintenance therapy is with the lowest proton pump inhibitor (PPI) dose necessary for adequate symptom relief. Whether long-term PPI actually alters the natural history of reflux disease other than to reduce the incidence of peptic stricture is not known. Reported adverse effects due to PPI include Clostridium difficile colitis and bacterial gastroenteritis, osteoporosis, and vitamin B12 deficiency. Anti-reflux surgery is indicated for youngsters, those not willing for long-term PPI i.e. for years, large volume refluxers, especially the supine refluxers and bile refluxers.
...
PMID:Long-term medical management of gastro-esophageal reflux disease: how long and when to consider surgery? 2280 92

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative spiral bacterium that is present in nearly half the world's population. It is the major cause of peptic ulcer disease and a recognized cause of gastric carcinoma. In addition, it is linked to non-ulcer dyspepsia, vitamin B12 deficiency, iron-deficient anemia and immune thrombocytopenic purpura. These conditions are indications for testing and treatment according to current guidelines. An additional indication according to the guidelines is "anyone with a fear of gastric cancer" which results in nearly every infected person being eligible for eradication treatment. There may be beneficial effects of H. pylori in humans, including protection from gastroesophageal reflux disease and esophageal adenocarcinoma. In addition, universal treatment will be extremely expensive (more than $32 billion in the United States), may expose the patients to adverse effects such as anaphylaxis and Clostridium difficile infection, as well as contributing to antibiotic resistance. There may also be an as yet uncertain effect on the fecal microbiome. There is a need for robust clinical data to assist in decision-making regarding treatment of H. pylori infection.
...
PMID:Helicobacter pylori: friend or foe? 2508 71

Common questions that arise regarding treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) include which medications are most effective, when surgery may be indicated, which patients should be screened for Barrett esophagus and Helicobacter pylori infection, and which adverse effects occur with these medications. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the most effective medical therapy, and all PPIs provide similar relief of GERD symptoms. There is insufficient evidence to recommend testing for H. pylori in patients with GERD. In the absence of alarm symptoms, endoscopy is not necessary to make an initial diagnosis of GERD. Patients with alarm symptoms require endoscopy. Screening for Barrett esophagus is not routinely recommended, but may be considered in white men 50 years or older who have had GERD symptoms for at least five years. Symptom remission rates in patients with chronic GERD are similar in those who undergo surgery vs. medical management. PPI therapy has been associated with an increased risk of hip fracture, hypomagnesemia, community-acquired pneumonia, vitamin B12 deficiency, and Clostridium difficile infection.
...
PMID:Common questions about the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease. 2597 98

Metformin is the first-choice drug in uncomplicated type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and is effective in improving glycaemic control. It is the most widely prescribed oral antidiabetic medicine and has a good safety profile. However, there is an abundance of evidence that metformin use is associated with decreased Vitamin B12 status, though the clinical implications of this in terms of increased risk of diabetic peripheral neuropathy are debated. There is growing evidence that other B vitamins, vitamin D and magnesium may also be impacted by metformin use in addition to alterations to the composition of the microbiome, depending on the dose and duration of therapy. Patients using metformin for prolonged periods may, therefore, need initial screening with intermittent follow-up, particularly since vitamin B12 deficiency has similar symptoms to diabetic neuropathy which itself affects 40-50% of patients with T2DM at some stage. Among patients with T2DM, 40% are reported to experience symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD), of whom 70% use oral antidiabetic medications. The most common medications used to treat GORD are proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and antagonists of histamine selective H2 receptors (H2RAs), both of which independently affect vitamin B12 and magnesium status. Research indicates that co-prescribing metformin with either PPIs or H2RAs can have further deleterious effects on vitamin B12 status. Vitamin B12 deficiency related to metformin and polypharmacy is likely to contribute to the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy which may frequently be under-recognised. This review explores current knowledge surrounding these issues and suggests treatment strategies such as supplementation.
...
PMID:Metformin and Micronutrient Status in Type 2 Diabetes: Does Polypharmacy Involving Acid-Suppressing Medications Affect Vitamin B12 Levels? 3260 68