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NEW STUDY FINDS CHRONIC HEARTBURN INCREASING WHILE PATIENTS OFTEN SUFFER AND IGNORE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES
Louis Harris and Associates Study Finds Asthma, Laryngitis More Common in Persistent and Frequent Heartburn Population
CHICAGO (November 5, 1997) - Although one in five adults have tried over-the-counter acid suppressing drugs since they were first introduced two years ago, a new study suggests that more people than ever before may be suffering from persistent and frequent heartburn. The study also found that many of these heartburn sufferers use over-the-counter (OTC) medications on a regular basis, even though they may not be getting adequate symptom resolution. The number of adults who suffer frequently from heartburn has climbed from 19 million to 21 million in the past two years, according to a Louis Harris and Associates study conducted for Astra Merck. While they may reach into their medicine cabinet for relief, the majority of these heartburn sufferers claim that the more recently available OTC acid suppressing medications have not provided adequate relief of their symptoms. The results of the study were released today at the American College of GastroenterologyÃs (ACG) Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago. "Heartburn should not be casually dismissed as a minor nuisance," said Joel E. Richter, M.D., Chairman, Department of Gastroenterology, The Cleveland Clinic and past-president, ACG. "While people who have occasional episodes of heartburn can find relief with over-the-counter medications, those who suffer from heartburn on two days a week or more need to see a physician because they may have a more serious problem, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), that requires more specialized medical treatment," explained Dr. Richter. "Ignoring the problem can lead to serious problems including esophageal erosions, asthma, laryngitis and even BarrettÃs esophagus, a precursor to cancer."
Defining GERDÃs Relationship to Asthma, Laryngitis Nearly twice as many adults with persistent and frequent heartburn report having asthma symptoms compared to the general adult population, according to the study. Similarly, the number of adults claiming to have experienced laryngitis rises from one-fourth of all adults to one-third of people with chronic heartburn. "If regurgitated acid ends up in the lungs, as can happen with people who have GERD, an individual may develop asthma-like symptoms," according to Dr. Richter. Heartburn is the most common symptom of GERD. People who have GERD have repeated episodes of stomach acid backing up into the esophagus, or food tube, causing the burning sensation behind the breastbone known as heartburn. Regurgitated acid often results in a sour taste in the back of the mouth, difficulty swallowing, coughing, choking, hoarseness and chest pain. Since episodic heartburn is a common problem, the more serious, chronic problems are often misunderstood and underestimated by patients. Heartburn is a symptom of what many people consider to be a harmless, self-inflicted ailment caused by diet or lifestyle.
Consumer Misunderstandings About Using Over-the-Counter Medications for Heartburn Consumersà lack of concern was supported by the study which found that more than 70 percent of Americans believe all heartburn cases can be self-treated with OTC heartburn remedies. One-third believe that OTC medications can be taken as often as necessary. Nearly two-thirds believe that physicians prescribe the same medications that are already available to consumers on pharmacy shelves.
Identifying and Treating More Serious Problems For people who suffer from serious, chronic problems, seeing the physician and receiving appropriate treatment for symptoms is very important. While two-thirds of people who only experience heartburn occasionally say their acid suppressing medication is very effective, only slightly more than a third of frequent sufferers reported the same degree of relief. In the 1997 GERD in America Survey conducted by Louis Harris and Associates, persistent and frequent sufferers, those experiencing heartburn on at least two days a week, and those who take medication for their episodes of heartburn, account for the estimated GERD population. The survey was conducted among 2,508 adults 18 and older in July and August 1997, and has a sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points. Astra Merck is a free-standing joint venture, owned equally by Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) and Astra AB of Sweden (NYSE: A), and is based in Wayne, PA. Astra Merck markets the antisecretory medication, Prilosec (omeprazole) and the cardiovascular drugs Plendil (felodipine), Lexxel (enalapril maleate-felodipine ER), and Tonocard (tocainide HCl). Its Internet website is http//www.astramerck.com.
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