http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. (HealthDay)—Obese and overweight men and women who suffer from heartburn often report relief when they lose weight, a new study shows. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-weight-ease-chronic-heartburn.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 21 May 2013 07:40:02 EST news288336812 There are significant cost and risk factors associated with two procedures commonly used to diagnose or treat gastrointestinal problems, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-quality-gi-procedures.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Sun, 19 May 2013 02:00:02 EST news288146356 Patients receiving antihistamines to suppress stomach acid are at greater risk of infection from Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, a common cause of diarrhea, particularly in health care settings, Mayo Clinic researchers have found. The study focused on histamine 2 receptor antagonists. The researchers found no significant risk for people taking over-the-counter antihistamine drugs, however. The findings appear in the online journal PLOS ONE. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-diff-infection-antihistamine-stomach-acid.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:31:16 EST news283602668 During the past 30 years, the number of patients with cancers that originate near the junction of the esophagus and stomach has increased approximately 600 percent in the United States. The first extensive probe of the DNA of these esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs) has revealed that many share a distinctive mix-up of letters of the genetic code, and found more than 20 mutated genes that had not previously been linked to the disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-molecular-signature-rapidly-esophageal-cancer.html Cancer Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:00:08 EST news283334944 According to a new study by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, patients with Barrett's esophagus and early or pre-cancerous cells have been shown to significantly benefit from minimally invasive therapy delivered through an endoscope – a medical instrument used to look inside an organ or cavity in the body. Until recently, patients with these conditions were treated by surgery to remove the whole esophagus. Study results show that endoscope-based therapies have a high success rate; all of the damaged cells were removed in up to 95 percent of cases, greatly reducing the chances of cancer progression. Additionally, in over two-thirds of cases, patients had no biological signs of the return of disease for years. The study appears in the February issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-long-term-efficacy-minimally-invasive-therapy.html Cancer Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:09:44 EST news280591775 (AP)—Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca PLC warned over expiring patents on its medicines as the company announced a 37 percent fall in full-year net profit on Thursday. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-astazeneca-patent-net-profit-falls.html Other Thu, 31 Jan 2013 06:46:55 EST news278837210 (HealthDay)—It might be a good idea to take stock of the heartburn products in your medicine cabinet before heading out to any holiday parties, an expert advises. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-holiday-heartburn-relief.html Health Thu, 22 Nov 2012 10:39:26 EST news272803156 Previous studies that have associated the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) – which include popular anti-heartburn medications like Prilosec and Nexium – with an increased incidence of pneumonia may not have found a true cause-and-effect relationship. A study that has been released online by the Journal of General Internal Medicine outlines a strategy for determining when the results of such observational studies may have been distorted by unmeasured factors and then finds that may be the case with the association between PPIs and pneumonia risk. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-association-common-heartburn-drugs-pneumonia.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:50:38 EST news268311026 Cancer of the oesophagus is becoming more common in Europe and North America. Around 7,800 people in the UK are diagnosed each year. The exact causes of this cancer aren't fully understood. It appears to be more common in people who have long-term acid reflux (backflow of stomach acid into the oesophagus). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-effects-alcohol-consumption-subsequent-esophageal.html Addiction Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:42:44 EST news266755340 (HealthDay) -- Rates of esophageal cancer have surged due to a lack of awareness about what causes the disease and how it can be prevented, experts say. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-untreated-heartburn-esophageal-cancer.html Cancer Thu, 26 Jul 2012 06:00:01 EST news262498882 (HealthDay) -- Dogs who accidentally eat a commercial poison to combat gophers and moles can emit a toxic gas that can sicken veterinary staff, a new report indicates. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-toxic-gas-dogs-vomit-threat.html Other Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:10:01 EST news254663834 Smoking doubles the risk of developing oesophageal cancer in people with Barrett's Oesophagus, according to scientists at Queen's University Belfast and the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-barrett-patients-oesophageal-cancer.html Cancer Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:15:39 EST news247144530 (Medical Xpress) -- Adam Vasser would wake up at night choking on partially digested food and liquid. Stomach acid burned the delicate tissue of his throat. “I’d sleep really badly,” he said. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-incision-free-surgery-chronic-acid-reflux.html Other Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:10:01 EST news242897729 Patients often take drugs to lower stomach acid and reduce the chances they will develop ulcers from taking their anti-inflammatory drugs for conditions such as arthritis, but the combination may be causing major problems for their small intestines, McMaster researchers have found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-gut-reaction-arthritis-drugs.html Medical research Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:43:31 EST news234109876 (AP) -- Like a lot of New Yorkers who spent time near the smoking ruins of the World Trade Center, Lorraine Ashman needs to take a deep breath before listing all the health problems that have afflicted her over the past decade. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-dusty-legacy-medical-mystery.html Health Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:28:33 EST news234106080 Modifying stomach acid levels may not be enough to treat symptoms in neonates suspected of having gastroesophageal reflux disease. According to a study from Nationwide Children's Hospital, this is the first study to classify reflux and its associated symptoms in neonates based on how and what is refluxed. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-symptoms-characteristics-acid-reflux-neonates.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:10:20 EST news232026050