Medslant Acid Reflux Newsletter

Acid Reflux and Asthma

The big news in acid reflux management concerns the relationship between asthma and GERD. Although the link between asthma, especially adult onset, and GERD has long been established, lung experts say that asthma patients who don't have heartburn should stop taking acid reflux drugs. For the past 20 years, doctors have been prescribing heartburn meds to calm symptoms of severe asthma that haven't responded to other treatments. But a study published in early April in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms that this practice is obsolete. Dr. Robert Wise, a lung specialist at Johns Hopkins University and the study leader said that the study gives the first solid evidence that 'silent' reflux really doesn't have a role in poor asthma control. And Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, said that asthma patients taking reflux meds who don't have heartburn should talk to their doctors about whether to get off of these drugs. Nineteen medical centers participated in the study and all expressed concern about patients taking unnecessary meds. Michael Busk, MD, associate professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine and director of the Indiana University Asthma Clinical Research Center at the National Institute for Fitness and Sport says, 'We've proved that it's not true and this treatment does not improve or help those with uncontrolled asthma.' The study had 402 participants and Dr. Busk said that about half actually had silent reflux discovered by a pH probe test and did not have frequent heartburn or a burning sensation in the lower part of the chest or back of the throat. If your asthma is being treated with reflux meds, i.e. proton pump inhibitors, it may be wise to check with the prescribing physician to determine if, in light of the results of this new study, you should continue with the meds.

New Reflux Surgery Under Study

Fifteen centers worldwide are studying the effectiveness and safety of an investigational surgically implanted device manufactured by Torax Medical Inc. that will that hopefully treat severe GERD. C. Daniel Smith, MD, a surgeon at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL which is one of the centers testing the device says that current medical therapy effectively controls acid production in the stomach but doesn't help with a malfunctioning esophageal sphincter which is the source of the reflux. The purpose of the new surgical device is to restore the function of the esophageal sphincter. The device is a ring of magnetic beads that are supposed to help keep the sphincter closed yet allow the valve to open under the pressure of food or drink in the esophagus. The surgery is done laparoscopically. Medical experts agree that lifestyle changes should be the start of treatment but severe GERD often needs meds and more. If studies show the procedure to be safe and effective, it could prove helpful for people with severe reflux.

Obesity and Sleep Apnea

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about 65% of us are overweight or obese. And, like the proverbial dog chasing his tail, obesity and sleeplessness seem to form a cycle difficult to break. Margaret Moline, PhD, a sleep specialist at the New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, says that as people gain weight, especially in the neck and trunk area, compromised respiratory function can cause sleep disordered breathing. Often the best treatment is to find the underlying sleep problem. Using a CPAP machine to aid in breathing is not always the only answer. The best advice, as always, is to check with your primary care physician.

Home Remedies, i.e. Apple Cider Vinegar and Acid Reflux

We always hear about new and old home remedies for treating acid reflux but the one that keeps surfacing is apple cider vinegar. As far back as Hippocrates and ancient China, the use of vinegar has been touted as having medicinal uses. D.C. Jarvis wrote a book, Folk Medicine, in 1958 that promoted the use of apple cider vinegar and it has been a popularly used treatment ever since. But claims of its effectiveness are anecdotal at best. It has never been tested through research because it is not a pharmaceutical product and most research is funded and conducted by pharmaceutical companies. Also, these types of remedies tend to work well for some and not well for others. It is also important to remember that reflux is just a symptom of the disease ' not the disease. Sometimes the symptoms can be controlled by not doing what is causing the symptoms. If drinking carbonated beverages gives you heartburn, cut them out. If lying flat makes you sick, lie elevated on a torso supporting wedge pillow. It is always good if we can figure out what is causing our specific problem and try to correct it. But, the best answer is to always check with your personal physician or health care professional.

Please keep the phone calls and emails coming to 1.800.346.1850 and customerservice@medslant.com. I love hearing from you.



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