Stomach Ulcers Lower Work Productivity

A new review in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics found that Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) lowers workers productivity, causing huge economic losses. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is caused by abnormal levels of reflux in the esophagus, resulting in damage to the lining of the esophagus and stomach. Symptoms of GERD include heartburn, and difficulty swallowing. Risk factors for developing GERD include high levels of gastric acid production in the stomach, obesity, wearing tight fitting clothing and pregnancy. The treatment of GERD includes weight loss and elevating the head while sleeping. It is also recommended that certain foods are avoided, such as food high in fat, drinks containing caffeine, and the avoidance of eating two hours before sleeping. There are also a number of drugs that can help to treat GERD. The review was comprised of eight studies with a total of over 7 000 participants from seven countries. The presence of GERD resulted in a 10 percent decrease in productivity across the working population. An employee?s productivity could decrease as much as 40 percent as symptoms worsened and if sleep was affected. These numbers translate into a $75 billion dollar cost to US employers every year. Meanwhile, it is estimated that it costs the US healthcare system $9.3 billion per year to treat GERD. Treatment of GERD has been found to be highly effective. The combination of medication, avoidance of food intake two hours before sleeping, and elevation of the head while sleeping has been proven to provide complete relief in 95 percent of patients. Treatment of GERD is economically sound given the high costs of this condition.