Report: Poor sleep patterns correlate with acid reflux

by Stella

This Healthday article comments on a recent study that attempted to correlate gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or acid reflux, for short, with poor sleep patterns. Researchers from Jefferson University Medical College, Philadelphia, observed the sleep patterns of 16 people with a history of bad sleep but with no known medical problems that might cause their sleep difficulties. They had not previously been diagnosed or treated for GERD. Eight of the study volunteers experienced daytime symptoms of reflux while the other eight did not appear to have any symptoms of acid reflux. After an initial overnight stay, the volunteers with the reflux symptoms took 20 milligrams of the acid-reducing drug omeprazone twice daily for the next two to three weeks. They then returned for a second overnight stay at the Jefferson Sleep Disorders Center. Six volunteers with reflux symptoms who experienced the worst sleep problems benefited the most from the drug treatment for reflux. The other two volunteers with reflux symptoms also benefited from the treatment, but to a lesser extent, the study said. The article's conclusion is that there may be a correlation between having a poor night's sleep and acid reflux episodes during the night in patients who were not previously diagnosed with GERD. Non pharma treatment of acid reflux includes avoiding over eating, losing weight and avoiding late night eating.

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