Heartburn Isn’t Lethal!

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, sounds serious – but it’s just heartburn. And one of its complications – Barrett’s esophagus – is labeled a pre-cancerous condition. So it’s not surprising that people with occasional heartburn worry, and make their heartburn worse. They believe they’ll get Barrett’s and then esophageal cancer, and die a painful death. Well, it isn’t so according to a new report.

Mayo Clinic researchers have conducted a study of survival in people with GERD, and published their results in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Symptom questionnaires were mailed to over 5,000 adults; replies were classified as coming from people with GERD symptoms daily, at least weekly, less than weekly, and none. The link between survival and degree of GERD symptoms was measured over the next 18 or so years.

The average age of responders was 53; half of them were women. After 10 years, 83% of the no-heartburn group were alive; daily heartburn was not associated with an increased risk of death, and greater survival was found in the at-least-weekly and less-than-weekly sufferers. It was noted however, that increasing age, male gender, and smoking were likely to increase the risk of mortality.

This ought to reassure the millions who suffer from heartburn that, in itself, the condition is not fatal. However, they shouldn’t smoke . . . (there’s not much they can do about their age or male gender.)