A long-term Norwegian study reveals the number of people who experience acid reflux at least once a week has gone up by nearly 50% in the last 10 years, with women appearing to be more susceptible to the condition than men. The findings raise concerns that this will lead to an increase in cancer of the oesophagus
Acid reflux, also known as gastro-oesophageal reflux, is where the stomach contents, which includes food and acidic digestive juices, escape upwards into the gullet or oesophagus.This can irritate the oesophagus and cause heartburn and other symptoms.
- women under 40 were the group most likely to experience spontaneous loss of symptoms without antireflux medication. And while there was a suggestion that this diminished with age in both sexes, it was most evident among women.
- The authors note that use of anti-reflux medication could not explain these patterns, and neither could pregnancy, when acid reflux often occurs.
- This increase was apparent in both men and women and across all ages, although middle age appears to be when the most severe symptoms occurred.
- The average annual rate of experiencing any acid reflux symptoms was just over 3%. For severe symptoms it was 0.23%.
- Acid reflux can spontaneously disappear without the help of medication, but in this study, this occurred each year in only 2% of those participants with symptoms.
