Definition, epidemiology, and risk factors of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Introduction Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is defined as a condition that develops when reflux of gastroduodenal contents into the esophagus causes troublesome symptoms or complications. The term “troublesome” refers to symptoms that interfere with the patient’s well-being and negatively affect quality of life1. This definition recognizes that GERD is not limited to the presence of […]