Drugs as Effective as Surgery for GERD

GERD occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, triggering heartburn and sometimes causing esophageal damage. In most patients this is due to a transient relaxation of the "gate” or sphincter that keeps the lower end of the esophagus closed when a person is not swallowing food or liquids.

The findings showed that for chronic GERD, over-the-counter H2 receptor antagonist medications are not as effective as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), although PPIs have more side effects. PPIs appear to have similar clinical effectiveness when compared to each another. Compared to surgery, PPIs appear to be similarly effective in relieving symptoms and improving quality of life.

Dr. Gerald Berke, a professor of surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA, USA), commented on the report. "In general, patients with GERD do respond to both surgical and medical treatment; however, the mainstay of therapy, which is not addressed, is alteration of diet and eating and sleeping habits. In addition, a small, but significant group of patients do not seem to respond to either medical, surgical management, or lifestyle modification, and the reason for their failure rate is currently unknown.”

The study is the first in a series from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, Rockville, MD, USA) that compares treatments for common illnesses. The goal of these studies is to give the public and healthcare workers the latest evidence-based treatment recommendations.

"We are trying to make the information as transparent and as accessible as possible about what we know from the latest science,” said Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy, director of AHRQ, which conducted the study. Future reports will focus on breast cancer screening, drugs for depression, and managing diabetes.






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Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)